Autonomy
by Soltitude
Summary: What makes us Human? Sentience? Emotions? What differentiate Human from Aragami? Which world I belong to?
1. Note

**I own nothing except my idea.**

This page is dedicated for anything that's not part of the story such as update log, comment, and A/N.

I would appreciate if you leave a comment, constructive criticism, or point my mistake in grammar and writing.

 **Important: I've decided to rewrite my story from scratch. With this I put my story on hold.**

* * *

2\. I've Become an Aragami

Length: 4871

Upload: 13-02-2017

GEpedia:

\- FPBS: Fenrir Public Broadcasting Service. Basically the only official TV channels left on earth.

\- Fc: Fenrir Credit. Form of payment accepted by both Fenrir and Far East Branch Outer Ghetto.

* * *

3\. Aragami in Self-Discovery

Length: 5064

Upload: 13-02-2017

Note:

\- Rena's Aragami form is white hornless Caligula.

\- Aragami blood is red, not black. This is reflected in anime, GEB and GER uncensored JP version, and cutscenes. Try to check on Moon in the Welkin cutscene, the Prithvi Mata bleed a red blood when lindow slash it. Also, cutscene where first unit meet Shio for the first time, she is covered in Aragami red blood.

* * *

4\. Aragami and Fugitive

Length: 4732

Upload: 13-02-2017

GEpedia:

\- Nemus Diana: Known as Forest of the Goddess or formally Diana Nemorensis. Perhaps the only self-sufficient settlement with Anti-Aragami wall that's not under Fenrir jurisdiction.

* * *

5\. Aragami in the Den

Length: 6028

Upload: 13-02-2017

* * *

6\. Aragami and Russian Recruit

Length: 4735

Upload: 13-02-2017

* * *

7\. Aragami in Conspiracy

Length: 5023

Upload: 13-02-2017

Note:

\- The last part of my initial release.

* * *

8\. Aragami and Broken Recruit

Length: 4824

Upload: 15-02-2017

Note:

\- Thank you for giving me two favorite, I appreciate it.

* * *

9\. Aragami in Disastrous Mission

Length: 4393

Upload: 19-02-2017

* * *

10\. Aragami and New Leader

Length: 4169

Upload: 24-02-2017

Note:

\- ptl: Aragami or not, she still has her sense of taste, and being 'ex-human' means she knows what's a delicious food taste like.

\- Thank you for another favorite.

* * *

11\. Aragami in Doubt

Length: 4649

Upload: 02-03-2017

Note:

\- ptl: You're asked about her right when I was writing it. Anyway, enjoy.

\- Two more favorite, thank you very much.

\- I wonder, how's my writing style? Sure, it's readable, but, is it good enough?

* * *

12\. Aragami and Clueless Child

Length: 4622

Upload: 07-03-2017

Note:

\- Kweh Viola: There's bit of misconception here. I'll keep this short since I was planning to explain it in latter chapter. Shio approached her willingly.

\- One follow mark, thank you.

\- Shio did enjoy lava bath in Infernal Subway. Try to bring her to Infernal Subway and listen to her speech.

* * *

13\. Aragami in Acceptance

Length:4779

Upload: 12-03-2017

* * *

14\. Aragami and Runaway Shio

Length: 4508

Upload: 17-03-2017

* * *

15\. Aragami in Field Test

Length: 4155

Upload: 22-03-2017

* * *

16\. Aragami and Big-Game Hunting

Length: 4720

Upload: 27-03-2017

* * *

17\. Aragami in the Beginning of the End

Length: 4151

Upload: 01-04-2017

* * *

18\. Aragami and Ark Project

Length: 4512

Upload: 05-04-2017

Note:

\- This story have 910 view for 17 chapters. Honestly, it's above my expectation since this is my first story. Thanks for everyone who enjoy this story, you keep me motivated.

* * *

19\. Aragami in the World's End

Length: 3590

Upload: 10-04-2017

Note:

\- ptl: It is. Although, it still far away.

\- This is the last and the most frustrating chapter I ever wrote, mainly because writer's block I suffered. I will stop releasing new chapter until I finished sorting and rewriting earlier chapter. Thank you for everyone who followed my story.


	2. I've Become an Aragami

It was pitch black.

Where am I? Why can't I feel anything?

Everything around me wrapped in complete darkness, not even a flicker of light could be seen. Something was wrong, I was paralyzed. No, even worse than that. All of my senses had been disabled, my sight, hearing, touch, smell, even taste. My logic demanded that I should be trembling in fear right now, panicking, or breaking out in sweat at very least. But unexpectedly my heart was at peace, like this was where I should be.

 _'Finally! After almost a decade of waiting.'_ A voice reverberated through darkness.

Great, first I'm paralyzed, now a disembodied voice talking to me. 'How am I supposed to answer that question when I can't even talk in the first place?'

 _'I can hear your thoughts.'_

'What? Who are you? Show yourself!' I tried to act intimidating, a futile act since my body completely paralyzed. But I wouldn't show any weakness, especially against unknown entity that might be enemy.

 _'Hm... A courage against overwhelming odd. Very well I'll answer your question. I'm recently called Aragami by your kind.'_

What the hell? A talking Aragami? 'Have I gone mad? More importantly, why am I here? Is this even real?'

 _'No need to shout, although you probably do it inadvertently. You are perfectly sane, and I'm not illusion either. As for why you are here I merely want to speak with you, you're my new host after all.'_

A host? Some sort of carrier? Me? Aragami carrier? Damn it, too many questions went unanswered.

'A host? What the hell?! Explain it!'

 _'Tell me, what is your last memories before you end up here?'_

'Why do you need to ask when you can just read my mind?' I thought reflexively. A mind reader asked a question? What a joke.

 _'Don't be mistaken. While I can hear your thought I can't read your mind. I can forcefully scan it, but that'll be unpleasant for you and less interesting for me.'_

There was a hint of smugness in his voice. 'Wait? Is it really a his?'

 _'I'm both ageless and genderless, call me whatever you want. You really need to learn the difference between talking to me and to yourself.'_

My last memories? My departure from Magnolia Compass orphanage and subsequent arrival at the Far East Branch headquarter... and then... blank... Why couldn't I remember anything after that?

'I don't know, last thing I remember was my arrival at Far East headquarter.'

 _'As I thought, you can't recall that event.'_

'Stop beating around the bush. Just tell me already!' Annoyance started to seep into me. His whimsical attitude getting on my nerve.

 _'Fine, you ask for it.'_

A sudden wave of images flooded my mind. Everything was clear, how this is all began.

* * *

I was there, sitting in corner of the den canteen. My sister sat in front of me, eating what supposed to be a cornstick while my mouth still chewing kernels from my bland corn soup. I held back a laugh as my sister's eyebrows twitching repeatedly. Even a plain white rice had more flavor than this.

"What a horrible taste..." My sister muttered softly.

"Yeah, even worse than Nana's experimental food." I nodded in agreement.

The old phrase 'Don't judge book by its cover' was quite fitting in this. Den cafeteria had impressive look, everything was clean. Table, tableware, bench, even floor were spotless. It also had dedicated air and water filter, something that only few could rival. Granted, not as glamorous as Magnolia Compass orphanage but definitely beyond what a common folk could ever dream of. Excluding a fact that foods were as abysmal as it could be.

Almost every single food on menu contained some sort of corn. Buttered corn, roasted corn, corn soup, cornstick, popcorn, and many other corn'ish food that I didn't even recognize. And the worst part of it? Everything kinda bland. If we were lucky, we might got a decent tasted corn or two. If not... perhaps eating a chalk wasn't a far-fetched comparison.

After finishing our meal which somehow had a rubber like texture, we were heading to aptitude test chamber, a place where the final test performed. Should we succeeded we become a God Eater. However, a failure means death.

Both of us stopped in front of a sliding metal door. I tapped the metal door while looking at my sister "This is it sis, beyond this gate is the test chamber. I've told you that there is always a risk of failure, and it means death."

She stared me, unwavering determination shone in her eyes. "I know, I've decided since long time ago that this is my path and nothing will stop me."

I broke our eyes contact as the metal gate opened. "No... it's our path. Let's hope for the best. Come sis, the time has come." I grabbed her hand and drag her to the center of the room.

The room was unexpectedly empty. No medical instruments, no scanner or anything like that. This room didn't even resemble a lab in fact, with a platform on each side, holes and tear mark adorning the wall, and cream colored dirty concrete floor, this room was closer to a gym or training ground. There was one thing that caught my attention, a single red-roofed table standing right in the middle of the room. From the look of it, that table was some kind of testing instrument for a God Eater candidate. A single God Arc and a piece of half Armlet lies on the table, while the other half hanged on the roof.

"Welcome God Eater candidates, I'm Johannes von Schicksal, director of the Fenrir Far East Branch. Now, Rina Asari please step forward."

That man, Johannes, standing in observation room above us separated by a glass wall. A middle-aged glasses wearing man with short dark gray hair stood behind him.

My sister stepped forward, stopping right in front of the red table.

"Before we continue, please leave the chamber Rena Asari. We don't want any unnecessary interference."

What the heck they were asking? This was a matter of life and death yet they told me to leave my sister in her crucial moment? "No w-."

"It's ok sis, I'll be fine. Wait me at the other side." Despite what she said it clearly written in her face that she also felt disappointed. Deciding to comply, I swallowed back my voice and walked away. I gave her comforting smile before the gate sealed.

* * *

Her cries of pain penetrating the metal door.

My sister screamed with agony and I'm here forced to stay and do nothing. I knew it, I should've voiced my protest while I still had a chance. Frustration rose in me, I banged the metal door uselessly. That door was simply too thick but at least this would help me vent my frustration.

Thankfully my sister cries had ended, so thus my trashing. A small whimper coming out from the other side. My sister survived the process and had successfully become a God Eater. We were one step closer to our dream. I started to imagine her face, with a red Armlet in her wrist and a giant blade in her hand, wearing Fenrir God Eater uniform while smiling brightly at me and waving her other hand... Yeah exactly like that person... Wait? What?

I couldn't believe it. My sister standing right in front of me, exactly like my imagination earlier.

"I did it sis, I finally did it!"

My sister jumping right at me, held me tightly in her arm. Her God Arc blade had left half buried on the floor. I should be glad, and I should returned her embrace, not trashing around and trying to escape. But if I didn't I might passed out from asphyxiation soon.

"Can't... Breath..."

The pressure suddenly gone. Never thought that a simple air could be this satisfying. With a ragged breath, I looked at my sister. She wore a sheepish smile on her face, like child that caught with their hand stuck in a cookie jar.

"Sis... don't... ever... forget... that you're... a God Eater now... If you keep doing that... you might accidentally send someone... to clinic"

"I'm really really really sorry sis, I got too excited. I've completely forgotten that God Eater have much more strength than normal people. Oh yeah, I should be going. I need to return my God Arc to the storage facility immediately. I'll try to head back as soon as possible and wait for you right here... See you later."

She running around at full speed with a slight bounce in it. Well who didn't? After one of your lifelong dream had finally become a reality few moment of excitements was to be expected.

Metal door closed behind me and I'm back in testing chamber for second time. Everything just like the last time and I'm standing in front of the red table, like my sister had before.

"Welcome Rena Asari, welcome to the Fenrir Far East Branch. Mankind aegis, and one of the last fortress of humankind. Here in this chamber you'll undergo aptitude test. Should you succeeded you will become a God Eater, just like your sister have."

And if I didn't I would be dead for sure, thanks for sharing only half of the info.

I placed my wrist on the table and gritted my teeth, preparing myself for the pain that'd soon followed. The table roof slammed down, trapping my hand between it. A wave of agony run through my entire right arm. It feels like my arm had been crushed under the metal block. I gritted my teeth even harder. The pain steadily increasing, it was beyond everything I felt so far, not even a broken bone could be compared to this.

"Nghhh" Small grunt escaped my mouth. How long this gonna be? I wouldn't last much longer if this keep up. I squeezed table corner with my other hand. My legs are about to buckled when the pain abruptly stopped, just like how it started. Moment later the roof rose, releasing my now slightly smoking Armlet cladded wrist.

After calmed myself down I lift my new God Arc. These enormous blade weight less than a baseball bat I once had long time ago. All God Arc weight a lot, mine included, the reason why I could swing it like this was because strength enhancement that all God Eater have. Excellent, soon I could hunt together with my sister, hopefully with Lindow too.

"Just as expected, both of you have shown great promises, congratulations God Eater. Return your God Arc to the storage facility immediately. Your training will begin tomorrow, you may rest for now."

With small smile I started to walk toward the metal gate. That was when I felt something wrong. A combination of cold and pain spreading out from my right wrist. I dropped my God Arc and inspecting it. My Armlet emitting another series of black smoke, but this time it was much larger and followed by a strange rumbling. What happened? Was this normal?

A red light and a horn like sound blaring throughout entire chamber. What? Something wrong? There was no way that I'm incompatible... am I?

The rumbling grew stronger and my Armlet extruding a strange black tar like substance that crept and engulfed my forearm. I looked around frantically, trying to find something that might help. In observation room the glasses wearing man held a stack of paper and scanned over it. A pity with shard of panic written in his face.

"No... Impossible... This shouldn't have happened. All pre test reading indicate that she is a highly compatible candidate, even higher than her sister... But why?" His strained voice coming out from intercom.

"Nothing is impossible doctor, and you know it. If you look at it closely you may notice that is not incompatibility." Johannes spoke with disturbingly flat tone and pointed his finger at me.

The glasses wearing man stared at me for a few seconds before frozen solid. The paper stacks fell to the ground as he muttering an almost indiscernible word. "Infection..."

A sense of warmth and numbness on my arm disturbed me. The black tar had completely covered my entire right arm and now spreading to my chest. Infection? What should I do right now? Is there any way to at least slow it down? A crackling noises followed by a loud snap bring despair to my heart.

My Armlet had fallen apart.

Ever since I took my extra course at Magnolia Compass I knew that Armlet was not supposed to be taken off for any reasons, even retired God Eaters still required to wear it. Now, it lies in pieces, reduced to scrap metal. A single tear rolling down on my cheek. Despair, sadness, fear, everything was mixed-up. My legs had given up and I fell on my knees. I took a glance at the observation room for one last time only to found out that it had been abandoned. So I'm alone in a locked down chamber with no hope for survival. The numbness had reached my legs. Yep, as I thought, everything engulfed by black tar, only head and my upper chest were still untouched.

So this is the end huh? I'm sorry, I failed you sis. Not to mention I broke my promises with Nana, Ciel, and Romeo. The metal door opened and a young blond man wearing a blue hooded jacket came at me. He carried a giant saw like buster blade on his shoulder and stopped right in front of me before pointing his blade at my neck.

"Any last word?"

His voice was cold, flat, and uncaring. The numbness reached my neck. It took a great effort to looked up into his eyes. It held no emotion, almost as lifeless as corpse.

"Who are you?"

"Soma."

"Alright Soma, I'm sorry and... thank you... do it."

The last thing I saw was a sharp jagged edge coming right at my neck.

* * *

'So... I'm dead...'

 _'Dead? Hardly. No matter how many times he tried a blunt blade like that could never harm me... Or you in this case.'_

So it was not my imagination, he had adopting human speech pattern. He could even scoff. 'What are you talking about? I'm pretty sure he sliced my head clean off.'

 _'Are you an idiot? We won't have this conversation if he kills you. No, I saved your life. My Oracle Cells harden to prevent your decapitation.'_

Now that was surprising. A talking Aragami saved human life? Instinct to devour hardwired deep into Aragami existence, or at least that what they taught me. So it quite absurd when an Aragami saved your life instead. 'Why? What's your aim?'

 _'Nothing. Everything I had done until now is merely on whims.'_

'What? I don't believe it.'

 _'When you have lived for thousands year you will either became apathetic or petty and whimsical. Besides, you are my first host that didn't completely erased. All my previous host lost themselves at this stage.'_

'Wha... What are you? How ancient are you? What do you mean by not erased?' My brain running at full speed. The very implication of how old actually he was had left me in bewilderment.

 _'Story for another time. Your body have finished changing and you'll awake soon.'_

'What the hell? What did you do to my body?' How could he? As if intruding my privacy was not enough, he now remade my body to his will. True he did save my life, but didn't mean that my body are his to toy with.

 _'That is side effect from your body harboring me. I'll try to help you adapt to your new body. If you really want to blame someone, blame the person that put me into your body nine years ago. Look at the bright side, this might become an interesting journey in your new ageless life. As for now... wake up young one.'_

* * *

My eyes blinked for second times. Am I dreaming? Here I'm kneeling on the floor in this familiar chamber again. These scenes were exactly like in my dream, minus a few details such as missing God Arc and Armlet. Yeah, even air was as stale as in my dream. There also a sharp unexplainable hunger in me, but it probably nothing. Few bangs of white hair covering my eyes when I slumped down in relief, a very short relief.

"Whaaat? Why my hair is white?"

 _'I've told you once and I tell you again, it was not an illusion.'_

"You are real!" I clasped my mouth tightly. A bit late since my voice already left my mouth.

 _'No need to shout. As I said, your body changed. Externally, you got white hair and a pair of yellow slitted eyes. Internally however... every single cells in your body are now Oracle Cells, you even have a core in your chest.'_

Damn, that mean I'd lost my original brown eyes and black hair in addition to my humanity. I didn't care much about my face, but some trait that marked me and Rina as identical twins now gone. 'Can't you do something about it?'

 _'No, it's an unavoidable side effect. Look behind you by the way.'_

I was surprised and recoiled few steps back. A giant black empty cocoon like structure stood tall in front of me. The surface was smooth and glossy, suspiciously resembled the black tar earlier. A large gash run across its front and surface around it warped outward, as if something had bursting out of it. Damn it, I was the one that did it, that was my cocoon.

 _'That is the last fragment of my original body, the very same one that protect you this entire time. I want you to consume it. Right now your Oracle are dangerously low, or you could say... starving in human terms. After that we will escape immediately.'_

The hunger from earlier became stronger and started to gnawing at me. But still, eating such revolting thing is definitely a no.

'Nope, I won't touch that disgusting slimy thing. And seriously, escaping? I can just explain that I'm still me you know?'

 _'You can eat anything now, it will be like eating a tasteless gel at worst. As for your idea, you are probably the only one that survived infection, if you surrender yourself right now you will be killed at best or become their newest experiment at worst.'_

His answer struck deep into my logic, he was right, they probably going to dissecting me for being able to stay sane after suffering a complete infection. Without any other option I tore a piece and began eating it. To his credit the cocoon indeed tasteless, like chewing flavorless jelly. My stomach churned. I had lost my humanity and now sitting on the floor while eating a scrap of Oracle Cells like feral Aragami, a fact that sicken me down to the core.

In a matter of minutes I had finished eating it, made me strangely fulfilled yet nauseated. The hunger had receded, replaced with a wave of energy. It still there, but it no longer gnawing at me.

'Any idea how to make a hole through few feet thick reinforced wall?'

 _'By slamming your fist at it of course. What else do you expect? Your strength is above the strongest God Eater now.'_ He replied in overly flat tone.

My eyebrow twitched, in a single day he learned to scoff and deadpan. Wouldn't be surprising if he learned sarcasm soon.

I took few steps back and slammed my fist with full force. The wall caved in and crumbling. Second slam caused numerous crack appeared from impact point. By now every available God Eaters should be heading here, undoubtedly alarmed by explosive like sound. My hand had completely penetrating it on the third slam. And now for one final push...

The metal door behind me opened. Just as I expected, two God Eaters coming in. Thankfully my sister was not among them, I'm still not prepared to meet her. The first person was Soma, the very same God Eater that almost euthanized me. The second God Eater was a young woman with shoulder length dark brown hair wearing scanty black green stripped dress.

"Damn it." Soma glared right at me. His face held no expression. Is he some kind of robot?

"What happened? Who is she Soma?" The woman asked in confusion.

"Careful Sakuya, it's an Aragami."

With a small gasp Sakuya pointing her sniper barrel at my head. The confusion in her eyes faded, replaced with alertness. "How?" She exclaimed.

"I was there when she was infected. I've tried to end her suffering." A guilt etched in his voice.

I see, he held a regret for his failure. "It's okay Soma, you are not at fault here. In fact, I thank you for trying at least, even if you failed in the end."

Both of them abruptly stopped, like time suddenly halted. To make matters worse Sakuya had a shocked expression on her face. Why did they surprised like that? Damn I'm an idiot, Aragami was NOT supposed to talk. Of course both of them acting like that, even I would be baffled if a talking Aragami suddenly appeared in front of me. "Um... Guys? Snap it out."

"What the hell? How?" Soma broke out of his trance first.

"It's complicated, but the point is I'm still me. Okay time to go."

Kinda funny to see a cold and expressionless person stared me in silence out of disbelief, sadly my time was running out. Before both of them could respond I ram the cracked wall with my body.

"What the...? Noooooooooooooo"

* * *

 _'Hahahahaha. Oh if only you could see your own face.'_

'Yeah suuree, laugh at my misery... Stupid Aragami.'

I should've expecting that... Test chamber was among the highest floor in the den. The result was pretty obvious, my body was on the ground in a self-made human shaped crater with half buried face and arms wide open.

 _'You should be grateful, not even God Eater can take a head on free fall like that unscathed.'_

Well, he was right. My body was covered with dirt and dust but not even a hint of soreness. It seems I had accidentally proving a fact that Aragami indeed impervious to any damage except God Arc and other Aragami.

I picked myself off the ground and brushed my cloth. From the look of my surrounding I'm somewhere in the east side of the den. With my new enhanced speed I dashed forward and heading to small path to outer Anti-Aragami wall.

I kept my head down to preventing anyone from seeing my eyes, occasionally I took a peek to check my surrounding. A sadness slipped into me, and it kept growing. People in here lived in poverty. Their house was nothing more than run-down shack and their cloth was barely decent enough. But at least nobody malnourished, that means Fenrir still cared about them, albeit not much. Something stole my attention as I passed a market stall. The vendor tried to sell poor quality corn kernels, even lower than bland corn in cafeteria. This little trip had opened my eyes. As someone who raised within the safety of Magnolia orphanage I never knew what's poverty looked like. Sure, I heard some rumors and a picture or two from FPBS but that didn't even close compared to experiencing it firsthand.

Something bumped my legs while I still looking around. A child had crashing my knees and fell on his back. My hand stretched out and helped him to stand up.

"Whooooaaaa. A God Eater..."

"She is not a God Eater you silly."

A girl slightly younger than the boy approaching us. Her face bear a slight resemblance to him. She had shoulder length brown hair and a pair of Brown eyes.

"What do you mean sis? She's wearing that uniform!"

"She has no Armlet. All God Eaters wearing a metal Armlet on their right wrist."

I winced a bit. She unintentionally brought up unpleasant memories about my shattered Armlet. The young girl bowed to me.

"Thank you for taking care of my big brother, we have to go back now please excuse-."

"Wait!" I took out all remaining Fc from my pocket and hand it over. Merely few hundreds, but hopefully it would aid them. The siblings eyes grew as wide as platter and their faces beamed with happiness. They thanked me profusely while bowing their heads.

How many things could be brought with few hundred Fc? Probably not much considering that merely pocket money. Dr. Leah gave to me yesterday, it was for covering my expenses while I'm still in training. Yeah, a training that would never comes.

I kept walking forward but my mind replayed the siblings beamed face over and over again. It gave me a sense of peace, a small respite in my stressful situations. If I think about it the siblings didn't make any comment about my eyes. Did they failed to notice it? It was unexpected too, the younger sister acted more mature than the older brother. My steady pace finally brought me to the base of Anti-Aragami outer wall.

 _'Why?'_

'Why what?'

 _'Why did you help that child? You know that no matter what they do, they will never be able to repay you.'_

His naivety tickling me. He still quite hopeless for a self-proclaimed thousands year old.

'It's called compassion. Are you really that old?'

 _'In my defense, up till now every other living being are either scared or tried to kill me.'_

His tone held a sadness in it. That sarcastic idiot actually felt sad? 'Well enough of that, we can get acquainted with each other after we escape. Do you have any idea how to pass through this wall? Anything that doesn't include blowing a part of it?'

Anti-Aragami wall was the last lifeline of people around here, so I wouldn't damage it. Didn't think I could anyway.

 _'You need to use your Aragami form if you want to damage it, which is impossible for now. Try to scale it instead.'_

'Wait, Aragami form? Nevermind that. We will REALLY acquainted with each other after everything has settled. And no, I'm not a spider, I can't climb this wall without any tool.' A headache pounding my head. Debate with unknown entity that had no common sense tend to gave anyone a headache.

 _'You are as hopeless as newborn. Stab the wall with your fingers. If you can't find a gap to grab then make one.'_

Stop replying would probably ease my headache so I shut my thought off. The surface cracked as my fingers went through it. Strange, almost like I'm stabbing a dough. How much my strength had increased?

I reached the top after almost an hour of climbing. It was a pretty sight, the sky painted orange from sunset, I sat down on the edge and watching scenery in front of me. A warm and gentle breeze engulfing me like a thin blanket. The wind carried a flower like fragrance with slight dampness in it.

I kept watching the sky slowly darkened. Despite there was no light source my sight perfectly unhindered, definitely another result from my transition. Scenery from up here still quite impressive even in dark. A snowy abandoned temple known as Tranquil Temple up ahead, and wreckage of giant ship designated as Forgotten Carrier at my right. Well, enough about sightseeing, time to leave this place. I turned my back and gazed toward the Den for one last time.

"Take care of yourself sis. I promise you, we will meet again." Another question crossing me as I turned around.

'Riiight, another hour for climbing down. Do you have any other option? No, don't answer it. You probably telling me to jump.'

 _'You know me. But try to land on your feet this time.'_

Great, he could use sarcasm now...

'I need to ask you something before that. What's your name? Surely I can't call you 'hey you' or 'Mr. Aragami'.

 _'I don't have it. Call me whatever you want.'_

'It's settled then, I'll call you Pochi!'

 _'Are you trying to irritate me?'_ To my mirth, his tone had annoyance in it.

'Nopeee, it's called payback.' My tone laced with faked cheerfulness. 'Alright, how about... Rei?'

 _'It's adequate.'_

'Okay, and now...' With that I took the leap.

"aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa"


	3. Aragami in Self-Discovery

It had been a day since my escape from far east branch. In that short moment I learned many things about Rei, especially about his immortality.

He said that he was an ancient Aragami. His memories were stored in every single cell he had, even if he got killed as long as part of him remained he will remember everything when he reformed. Judging from his tone he still withheld some important information. He did confirm it but every time I asked he merely said 'not yet'. Stingy Rei.

There still two questions remain. How did Rei know about his own immortality? It was highly unlikely that he capable to do self-research. And how could he claim that he was thousands year old when Aragami started to appear merely 21 years ago?

When I asked about my new ability and diet he said that Aragami Core was the best food followed by other Aragami part, anything else could be considered as dessert. As for my ability he said that if I wanted to learn Oracle based attack I must sate my hunger first.

So here I'm, standing on a field somewhere between Far East Branch and Wailing Plains stalking my first prey, a herd of Ogretails. There was nothing special about this place. Most of the ground was covered by moss, and no interesting landmark except few ruins. Weather here was quite strange though. The wind blowing from a single direction, clouds above never dispersed and thick enough to block the sunrise, not to mention seemingly endless drizzle around me. Perhaps this had something to do with giant tornado in Wailing Plains?

'Hey Rei, are you sure about this? I mean charging headfirst into a group of four Ogretails.'

 _'Their puny little talon possess no threat for us. They can't even win one on one against newly born God Eater. You need to work on your confidence girl.'_ A hint of smugness mixed in his voice. It almost like he considers them merely as a pest.

'Rena... Rena Asari... That's my name.' In my entire journey I never gave him my name, where did my manners go?

 _'Fine, now go Rena.'_

I started to sprint. The ground cracked as my pace steadily increasing. With a single leap I jumped forward. First Ogretail noticed my footsteps but it was too late for I'm right above it. As it turn its head I drive my fist down and smashed its back. Blood splattered across grounds with a satisfying crack. Soon a half destroyed body lies motionless on the floor.

 _'You are supposed to eat the core, not smash it to pieces idiot.'_ A grumble echoed within my head.

'What can I say, this is my first hunt. I don't expect that I can punch a hole in its torso with single strike.'

Another Ogretail leaped at me. I straightened my fingers and plunged it deep into its chest. My fingers touched something hard and the said Ogretail lies dead as soon as I tore it out. A blue spherical object half the size of my palm rest in my grasp. My hands... they were dyed in red, disgusting.

"Two down, two more to go," I muttered.

Two other Ogretail jumped at me from both flank. I took a step forward between them and placing each of my palm on their head. I shoved their head to the ground; the impact was strong enough to knock them out.

My fight had ended. I sat on the floor in front of one of the Ogretail carcass and ripping it apart.

'Hey Rei, is this okay with you? Well You know... Technically I'm eating your... kind.' How did he consider his less intelligent brethren?

 _'You mean our kind. Most Aragami are nothing more than a mindless beast, they are animal.'_

The scent of blood permeating air around me, disturbingly sweet and mouth-watering. I managed to extract all their core and swallow it one by one. It was delicious, and to my horror a part of me really enjoy it.

"aah" I let out a gasp involuntarily. Intense rush of energy washing through my vein. My heart would beat like crazy assuming I had one. All my senses suddenly became much sharper than before, like a haze had been lifted.

The sheer number of stimulus almost overwhelming me. The previously damp air now held a slight plant like scent in it, probably from moss around here. Thinking about moss, it now had a different tint of green. It still green but now in different shades. Each sounds around me significantly amplified, extremely loud yet not deafening. Few tiny clicking noises coming out from nearby ruins, which was probably rat claws scratching concrete.

'Whoaaa, what happened? Everything seems so... clear now.' I flexed my fingers. It felt like this was not my own body, what a bizarre feeling.

 _'You are no longer starving, and your body have stopped conserving energy. This is how you should normally feel.'_

'I see, but why Aragami tasted like that? It was delicious and why the hell I enjoy it?'

 _'I don't really know. Maybe you starting to develop Aragami instinct. All of my previous host had it before they lost themselves.'_

'WHAT!? Are you saying that I'm slowly become Aragami in both body and mind?'

 _'How should I put this into words... Yes and no. You may slowly become more like_ _Aragami_ _in behavior but you will always in control. Your mind rule over your instinct so you won't become like these pitiful creatures.'_

'So I'm merely showing some Aragami trait. Are you sure about that?'

 _'Absolutely. Unless you are under extreme starvation, in which your mind weakened and your instinct will take over. Even so, you'll be back in control as soon as the hunger diminished.'_

So that means there should be nothing to worry about as long as I'm not overly starved. Just like yesterday, the hunger had receded but it still there.

'Alright, I get most of it. One more thing, I'm still kinda hungry, is it not enough?'

 _'No, we Aragami are always hungry, it's part of us. You cannot satisfy these hunger no matter how much you eat.'_

Damn, better get used to this than. It not really that bad actually, feels like I'm constantly peckish. 'How could you know all of this Rei?'

 _'Because you are like me. I'm beyond common Aragami, I'm in control and will always be. Enough about that. Now you are no longer starving we can begin your training in Oracle attack. If you're still interested that is.'_

'Of course I'm. I don't have to bathe in blood during my hunt if I can use even the basic form of ranged attack.' My mood brighten immediately. To a God Eater dirty cloth was trivial matter, but not me. Unlike them, I didn't have access to a spare cloth or laundry.

 _'Alright, here you go.'_

Sudden wave of images filling my mind, it was like watching a TV. Every details on how to do it had been transferred directly to me. I closed my eyes and began concentrating. In my mind a weapon formed from one of my knowledge, a curved blade complete with its sheath. It was an ancient weapon called Katana by people of the old times, or at least that what my history book taught me.

A weight had been placed, no... it literally grown out from my hand. An almost organic sleek dark blue curved blade rest in my grip. It had no sheath and quite different from my imagination, especially with its multiple bone like protrusion at its body and around the handle. At least it still served its purpose.

 _'Not bad for your first try. Keep practicing it and you'll be able to create something more exotic. But always remember this, Oracle attack drain much more energy than a simple physical boost.'_

'Thank you so much Rei. You have no idea how much this means to me. How often I need to eat?'

 _'As often as you feel hungry.'_

'Thank you very much for your helpful answer.' My voice laced with condensed sarcasm.

 _'You're welcome. On serious note, depends on your activities. In normal condition a single Core is enough for at least two days. However, if you decided to use Aragami form in every combat, expect a Core or two for each days.'_

How could I forget about that. I was about to asked it when we escaped the far east branch.

'Now, explain about this Aragami form you mentioned earlier. Seriously, I feel like I'm straying further away from humanity.' A frown formed at my lips.

 _'You are not a human, not anymore. Aragami form boast even more destructive power and offer higher protection than your current form, but it require even more Oracle than before, use it sparingly.'_

I winced at his bluntness. So basically, a great boost in combat prowess at the cost of literally became the very monster that my sister fought against. Not really a good idea, but getting even more power seemed so... tempting. In this harsh world absolute power was necessary. It was for those I held dear and my own protection. There was nothing much to lose, I had lost my humanity anyway.

'Alright, teach me Rei. I don't really like it, but considering my sister have become a God Eater, I might need all the power I can get to keep her safe.'

 _'Granted.'_

Another wave of images came and in few seconds I learned to use my Aragami form. Suddenly a sharp pain hit my right temple and made me flinched. Okay that hurt, what the hell was that?

 _'I should've told you first. Sending knowledge directly few times in a row might give you a headache.'_

'Thank you for your early warning.' I muster all sarcasm I had.

 _'You're welcome.'_

I really wished that Rei had a physical body right now. That way I could at least smack his head for being cheeky.

* * *

'Rei?'

 _'Yeah?'_

'Reminds me, why I'm crawling through a tiny tunnels in somewhere near Tranquil Temple?'

Right now my body covered in dirt and gravel in pitch black tunnel leading to nowhere. The air was stagnant, not even a breeze flew through here. A tree root grazed my back few moments ago but didn't tear my cloth, Oracle infused fabric was surprisingly tough.

 _'You said that you wanted a warm bath, remember?'_

'Yeah but that didn't explain why I'm crawling like a damn mole.'

 _'Now now, have I ever misdirecting you? On top of that, can't you feel it?'_

He was right, again, the temperature slightly increased complete with a tinge of sulfur in the air. Few footsteps echoed in the distances, probably wandering Aragami which is not important. A combination of heat, water, and sulfur could only mean a hotspring, this was exciting. I never took a bath in hotspring before. It was always either fish pond in the orphanage garden or shower. How it feels like? A slightly sulphuric moist air, supply of never-ending hot water...

 _'Oy snap it out. We'll never reach our destination if you keep daydreaming like that_.'

'Whaaa? Oh right...' I wipe off smile in my face and pushed forward, didn't take long before the tunnel had reached its end. I'm in some sort of flooded cave, except that it was lava instead of water that flooding this area. Did a double take at my surrounding but found nothing like hotspring.

 _'Here we are. Go ahead and take a dip'_

I stopped moving around. He told me to swimming in a pool of lava, that idiot...

'Take a dip? TAKE A DIP? It's a damn LAVA you blockhead,' I screamed in frustration. A few hours of walking and crawling ended in futility.

 _'So? I don't see the problem in here.'_

'The problem is, If I do as you told there will be nothing left of me idiot!' A headache pounding my head.

 _'You are the idiot one in this case. Since when did a heat can injure us?'_

It was both confusing and embarrassing. On one side, my logic could understand his way of thinking. A pool of lava was harmless, warm enough, and usable as makeshift bathtub for Aragami. On the other side, my intuition still frustrated by his lack of common sense.

 _'Oh screw it, let me help you.'_

'What are you talki-'

To my horror, before I had finished talking my body began moving on its own. All my senses were not affected but my muscles disregarding my command.

'What the hell are you doing?! Stop!'

 _'Just shut up and let me do my job.'_

My face went cold. He already finished taking off all my clothes and put it away from lava pool. My struggling reached whole different level but not even a muscle following my order. He put my body on the edge and slowly immersing it in the nearby pool. He sat down after found the right spot, leaving only my head above the surface.

 _'See? Doesn't feel so bad now does it?'_

'You! Fine, you won. I'll stay here for a while. Now return my body!' I sighed in resignation. That idiot was way too stubborn for me to convince otherwise.

Suddenly I could move again. He had a point though, while it seems bizarre to anyone, this pool actually felt nice. Temperatures was about right albeit almost too hot. Slightly hotter and it would become uncomfortable instead. Kinda strange though, especially with its viscosity that comparable to mud. My mind began to drifting away. This recent event had allowed me to see another aspect of his power and it made me feel insignificant. He could just shoving me away, locked me in my own body, and I couldn't do anything to stop it. Why he never did that?

'Rei? I never know that you can forcefully control my body. Why did you let me do anything I want until now? You even taught me how to fight.'

 _'I've told you before, You're my first host that still sane after transition and that gave me new experience. I wouldn't laugh at your face back at the den If you didn't survive_.'

'aaaaah don't remind me of that. How did you know about my expressions anyway?' I put my hands over my face, my cheeks getting warmer.

 _'Your body made up entirely from oracle cells. I just mapping location of each cell in your body and project the result, it was hilarious. Want me to send it over?'_

'NOOOO! You will never let that one slide will you.'

 _'Of course not. I'll put it in the most safest vault in my memory. With that kind of face it was worth every effort I made for you.'_

'auuu. No, forget it! I have other question to ask.' I must change the topic, else I would end up dead from embarrassment.

 _'Changing the topic aren't we? Very well.'_

'How did you know about your own immortality and memory? How could you claiming that you're thousands year old when Aragami started to appeared merely 21 years ago?'

 _'The answer to both questions had something to do with my past. I don't want to talk about it, not now. I'll tell you this at least, 21 years ago was not the first time Aragami shown up.'_

It was surprising, almost like he was... depressed? Whatever happened in his past had left some scar in his memories.

We stopped talking for a while and I'm sat in silence while playing with lava. Pull it out of pool, let it harden in my palm and formed a hand-printed ball of rock. It so unreal, normal people couldn't even coming close to lava without getting burned. God Eater sturdy enough to reached the edge of lava pool without suffering any damage, as long as they didn't actually touch it. My body on the other hand capable being submerged in lava without any discomfort.

 _'Hey, did you hear that?'_

His sudden speech broke my line of thought. By focusing my hearing I sensed some previously unnoticed voices echoed in the air. Sound of water dripping from far away, sound of Aragami eating something, Aragami running around, and sounds of metal clashing something hard?!

'Someone fights Aragami, it's not far from here...'

 _'Indeed, so?'_

'This person might need our help, I'm about to leave this place anyway.'

I pulled myself out of lava pool and scraped the remains off my body. Not good, from the sound of it this Aragami was much larger than Ogretail. After a few minutes of walking, it was confirmed. A large Aragami standing across wide lava river in the far side of Infernal Subway. It resembling a black giant scorpion with a strange maw as its pincer. However, my body stiffened as I actually recognized the God Eater.

I could never forget him, he looked exactly like nine years ago except now he was older than before. His messy short black hair and pair of black eyes, his large red chainsaw like God Arc, even his brown coat was still the same. It was Lindow, the very same man who saved my sister and my life. Wait... what in the actual hell!? He fought alone? Damn Lindow.

'Oy Rei, what should I do?'

 _'Calm down, you have two options. One, you can use your oracle attack and give him fire support from this place. Two, use your Aragami form, kill that thing, and escape immediately.'_

'I never tried Aragami form before so I won't test it right now, ranged attack then.' Few floating silver spikes formed around me and soaring through the air. Most of these spikes embedded deeply into its muscle and knock the scorpion off-balance. Lindow tried to take a glance at me while it still staggered but he probably sees nothing, considering both distance and darkness.

He dashed forward and my salvo forced to halt else he would be impaled as well. Lindow hacking the pincer with fervor, few cracks formed and a part of it shattered. He was forced to jump back as the scorpion swung its tail wildly. That was my chance, I threw even more spikes at it. Its human like torso armor broke apart just like its pincer, revealing its purple tissue underneath. Lindow launching another series of slash at its interior.

Like a dead spider, the creature fell upside down after Lindow hack it apart. He pointing his God Arc at it and a giant maw not unlike the scorpion pincer formed. It chomped down scorpion torso. After few bites he pulls back his God Arc which now held a shiny purple ball in its maw.

"Stop hiding, I know you're still there," He suddenly spoke.

A normal God Eater wouldn't be able to hear it at this distance, but then again, I'm not normal anyway. Why did he call me? He should know from my projectiles that I'm not a fellow God Eater.

'What do you say about this Rei? Should I approach him?'

 _'I don't see any harm in doing that. We can always defeat anyone that after us.'_

There, his lack of common sense ticked me off.

'We will NOT for ANY reason fighting ANY Far East God Eater. My sister is one of them now.'

 _'Whatever.'_

* * *

The said lava river was quite shallow, barely above my ankle, but definitely enough to made me stride across lava river barefooted. My boots and socks was hanging on my arms. I'm not going to test it against lava, it would be destroyed, no matter how sturdy Oracle infused clothing was. Wariness formed in his face when he saw me coming. His hands started to get tense and his knuckles turned white from gripping his God Arc handle. At least he didn't actually pointing his blade at me. His wariness turned into confusion and shock when he recognized me.

"Rena? Is that you? What happened to you? Why you looked like that? How do you do that?" Lindow blurt out all his questions at me.

"Yeah, it's me. It's been nine years since the last time we met. Thank you for everything you've done to us Lindow." I bowed at him. He relaxed a bit and his expression softened. I didn't expect this, Lindow out of all people going on a mission alone in the same place as me. Emotions started to swirling in me. He was standing in front of me, what should I do?

I lunged right at him. He was too slow, didn't even had a chance to raised his God Arc. My body collided with his chest and staggered him. His God Arc thrown few feet away. Good, didn't have to kick it then. He tried to pushed me away. Nope, a God Eater strength was no match against mine. The sound of his heartbeat thumping in my ears as I hug him tightly. The very same thump I heard when he embraced me in my ruined village nine years ago. New scent of cigarette in his coat wrapped me around, normally revolted stench of tobacco strangely calmed me. His comforting warmness felt so...

"Rena... too... tight..."

Wait? What the hell did I do to him? I almost crushed him like what my sister did to me yesterday. I released him immediately and he started to breathe again, slightly ragged though.

"Sorry Lindow, I couldn't stop myself. It's been too long since we've met." Heat risen in my cheek, what a blunder. Hopefully he didn't offend by my lack of control.

He slowly took few steps back and put his usual happy-go-lucky face. He eyes me from my hair down to toe.

"Mind to explain everything?"

"Long story short I'm incompatible in the test but somehow became Aragami instead of dying. I fled from den and wandering around Far East Branch for a while. I was taking a bath in this place when I heard your battle." I gave him basic rundown of my story.

"So you're telling me that you didn't lose your mind even after you've turned?" I nodded at his questions.

"And you found me while you still bathing in lava?" Again, I nodded at him.

"I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see you crossing lava barefooted." To his credit, Lindow maintained his composure. He merely sighs instead of freaking out or anything.

"But seriously, the first thing you do after nine years was leaping at me? I almost got a heart attack thanks to that." His tone had a combination of disbelief and amusement in it.

"I said I'm sorry, geez..." My cheek gotten even warmer than before.

 _'You are as red as tomato right now.'_

'Not you too Rei. Stop it! How the hell did you know about tomato?'

 _'I'm copying your knowledge. Convenient and definitely useful in teasing you.'_

'Jerk.'

 _'I appreciate your compliment.'_

"Thankfully, Sakuya isn't here right now. She might get jealous you know." Lindow said jokingly.

Sakuya? She and Soma was the one that after me right before I'm rammed the den wall.

"A should length dark brown hair wearing a black and green backless dress. She is your girlfriend?"

"So you've met her, she is my fiancée actually." He picked up his God Arc and leaning it on his shoulder.

I grinned at him. Lindow had found his other half, he almost became a husband.

"Soooo, congratulations Lindow. I've met her two days ago, in unpleasant situation I'm afraid." My smile faltered, she aims her God Arc right at my head yesterday.

"Can you explain it?" Lindow inquire.

"She points her gun at me back then when I'm about to escape. I don't mind it, she probably thinks that I'm just another hostile Aragami. Nevermind that, how's my sister doing?" I shrugged.

"She was crying for all days you know. Didn't even coming out for dinner on that night. Almost skipping her breakfast too, but she didn't, thanks to Sakuya. She also the first recruit that got permission to absent right on her first day."

A guilt invading me. My sister crying in heartbreak, she thinks that I'm already dead or changed. Well, I did change, but only in my body.

"Could you please tell her that I'm okay? Tell my sister that I promise her we will meet again."

"Or you can come with me. I'll explain everything to them."

"And become a test subject? No thanks. Not now anyway."

"Fine, it's your call." Lindow took out his radio and push few buttons, "Lindow here, jobs done and ready for extraction."

"So time for us to part way? And Lindow, can you do me another favor?"

He raised his eyebrow at me and ask "Maybe. What do you ask?"

"Can you please not mention me to anyone? Pleasee... I'll make it up for you later." By gathering all of my boldness, I gave him a puppy eyed stare.

"Pfffff stop that, doesn't match your appearance. With your yellow slitted eyes and unnaturally white hair, you look like a Vajra pretending to be a kitten" He laughed at me.

I stuck out my tongue at him. "Worth a try. What kind of Aragami is that by the way?" I pointed my finger the scorpion carcass.

"They call it Susano'o. Okay my transport is approaching, see you later. Oh about your request, I'll keep it secret from everyone except my team and maybe Dr. Sakaki. Don't worry, I trust them all." Lindow turned his back and waving at me.

"Fair enough. And Lindow... Stay safe." I waved my hand back at him.

Watching his back slowly getting smaller reminds me on the day he left us at Magnolia Compass. It made me feel dejected, but it's okay, I'll meet him again one day. Kinda sad though, my long nine years reunion happened in Aragami infested Infernal Subway.

 _'Now that sorted out, do you have any other plans?'_

'This event make me realized that there's still much to learn. I'll return to this morning hunting ground for Aragami form training.'

* * *

No matter how hard I tried, the awkwardness was simply too obvious to ignore. Human used their entire sole for walking, unlike what I did now. I just recently recovered from my own stumble-over-nothing for god knows how many times, this was all thanks to my new body.

'Rei can you send me images of my own body?'

 _'Yeah sure.'_

My eyes would be bulging out if I'm still in my human form. Rei had sent me image of large fearsome bipedal lizard. My skin covered in white carapace like plating, something akin to folding blades attached to each wrist, and a strange protrusion growing on each of my shoulder-blade. My legs designed for walking on toes and that was the reason of my endless tripping.

Every inch of my new body emitting dangerous vibe, especially the wrist blades. It gave me funny illogical sense of fear. Illogical because basically I'm fearing myself.

'What is this strange tube like things on my back?'

 _'Let see... From the oracle composition... That is a booster or something like that. Not large enough to give you true flight but more than capable to let you hover in place or increasing your momentum for leaping.'_

'I'm basically a sword wielding giant armored lizard wearing rocket?' My voice strained from disbelief.

 _'Not exactly but close enough.'_

If I had my hand instead of claw I would do a facepalm. This entire new form felt completely different. My sense of touch reduced to almost nonexistent thanks to the armor plate. Few new muscle and a new tail disrupting my stance. I tried to stand up once more but failed miserably and crashing down after my first step.

 _'Need my help?'_

'This new legs take a great deal of pain to get used to. Do you have any advice?'

 _'No, but I got something even better than advice.'_ His tone reeking conceit.

A rush of knowledge entering me. Everything about new stance from walking to leaping appeared. That idiot Rei...

'Rei?'

 _'Yeah?'_

'You knew from the beginning that I'm struggling to even standing and you sent me your knowledge after I've fallen so many times?'

 _'Yep.'_

'Why don't you do that sooner?'

 _'For giggles.'_

'I hate you Rei!'

 _'I love you too Rena!'_

My head really throbbed. That idiot became even better than before in annoying me.

'Oh shut up. Try to do something useful instead of annoying me. Scan my entire body, I need to know everything about this.'

 _'Whatever. Hm... Nothing wrong it seems. Wait... Oh this is interesting.'_

'Don't keep me in the dark idiot. Just tell me already.'

 _'Snippy snippy, first you can launch either fire or ice attack. A rare instance, since normally two opposing Oracle Cells in single Aragami will neutralize each other.'_

'Greeeaaat, now I'm a fire-breathing sword wielding giant armored lizard wearing rocket. This getting more ridiculous by each passing seconds.' I fought another intense urge to facepalm.

 _'And one more thing. Right now you didn't have a core in that body, your humanoid body act as its replacement in your chest.'_

'So I'm not actually become a lizard?'

 _'Yes. This was unexpected, I thought that you will do a rapid evolve, just like the others.'_

" **Tes...ting** " Meh, my voice almost unrecognizable. It was a combination of speech and growl.

 _'What are you doing?'_

'Trying to speak. I might need it in combat.'

" **One... Two... Tree** "

 _'It's three, not tree you know.'_ Another smug filled voice echoed in my head.

'I know, my tongue slipped... stupid Rei.'


	4. Aragami and Fugitive

Sun rose slowly from the horizon, which mark the ninth day of my escape. My training week ago had given me solid result. Thanks to stingy Rei for sharing his knowledge albeit too late, I could move freely in Aragami form without risking myself to trip over nothing. In combat my wrist blades was proven to be effective in slicing almost everything, including Ogretails and few Cocoon Maiden I've faced last night.

In my spare time while wandering around area near Wailing Plains I found a decent half-ruined building. Slightly covered in moss but still had its walls and roof, thus it became my temporary shelter. Not much, a few meters square room with cloth scraps as bedding and wooden plank as makeshift door. Rei said that was unnecessary as I need no rest. He was right as usual, but at least this gave me a semblance to human life that I no longer had. However, I'm facing a new problem now.

Boredom...

As absurd as it sounds like, my new body didn't require sleep. So run out something to do tend to happened sooner or later. I spent my whole night hunting random small fry, as result my so-called shelter filled with both Aragami Cores and random body part. Much more than my daily needs. My leftovers might still useful to God Eater, If they managed to found this place though.

'Reiii, I'm boreeed. What should I do?'

 _'How about a trip to the giant tornado near this place?'_

'Oh you mean Wailing Plains? Okay, better than sitting around and do nothing.'

My stroll towards the Wailing Plains was uneventful. Nothing but ruin and even more moss in my sight. Occasionally a few Ogretails trying to attack me, and minutes later few more core to be added to my shelter. The sky grew darker and moisture slowly rising, negligible but easily noticed thanks to my highly sensitive senses. Ground beneath me soften as it became covered in moss, any other ground that didn't covered by it already turned into mud by endless drizzle.

* * *

Chaotic. That was a perfect word to describe area surrounding Wailing Plains. This place was a giant gladiator arena. A large caldera like crater complete with its mini hill at its center, which is where the tornado was located. Weather around here was harsh, not as terrible as Infernal Subway, but definitely bad. Constant tempest coupled with never-ending drizzle would turn melee combat into a deadly dance and sniping at long-range became nigh impossible without high velocity or homing bullet.

Despite the harsh weather this place became a hotspot for Aragami. From my hiding place on a cliff I saw a herd of Ogretails, few Cocoon Maiden, and a Vajra roaming around.

'I'm here, what's next?'

 _'Hm... not as interesting as I hoped. Nothing but Aragami and moss ridden hole.'_

'And what did you expect?' I raised my eyebrow at him.

 _'Anything other than moss and Aragami.'_

'Too bad, ever since Aragami started to appear, most of the planet surface had been reduced to wastelands like this.'

 _'Whatever. Let's return to your so called-shelter.'_

'Walking for few hours and return without doing anything seems so wasteful don't you think?'

 _'You have other plan?'_

'Of course.' I gave him a wide smirk.

My body shifting and encased in Aragami form as I jumped out of my hiding place. Cocoon Maiden and herd of Ogretails immediately noticed my loud landing. The Cocoon Maiden became nothing more than a puddle of blood when my booster enhanced fist crashed down on it.

 _'Showoff.'_

'Oh shut up and let me have my training session.'

 _'More like slaughtering session.'_

Herd of Ogretails coming fast at me. My booster engaged once more and my wrist blades expanded.

 _'It's overkill you know.'_

'Of course it is.' I sent him imaginary smirk.

With deafening blast my booster carried me through them. Both wrist blades soaked in blood. Every single last one of the herd or what was left of it dead. Their torso was sliced in half, including their core.

A loud growl caught my attention, suddenly a pain stung my back. I looked around and found the source of my problem. The Vajra earlier had attacked me.

'Rei any wound on my back? Can I beat it?'

 _'Scorched armor plate but no internal damage. Yes but unlike usual small fry, this one can actually hurt you so don't underestimate it.'_

The Vajra circling me. It suddenly snarling and jumped back, throwing its lightning ball from mid-air. My shoulder plate burnt a little even though I managed to escape its direct blast. My mouth went wide in retaliation and spewing torrent of flame at its face. A strange satisfaction grown in me as it recoiled and shake its head.

'urghh... as I thought, that felt weird.'

 _'Then why did you do that in the first place?'_

'Curiosity.'

 _'Idiot.'_

Vajra face now covered in burn marks. Half of its horn like protrusion was blackened. I'm preparing another attack while it still recovering. My booster primed and my wrist blades extended at full length. I launched myself at it. My blade directed right at its head. A loud crack followed by bestial wail echoes in the plains.

The Vajra crippled. Massive vertical gash run across its head and various burn wound marks its skin. The battle was over. Unlike it, my body suffer a minimum amount of injury. Slightly burnt shoulder plate and damaged back plate but no injuries. My armor plate did a good job in protecting me, not to mention this merely a temporary body. It tried to stand up once more only to fall on its side. What a pitiful sight, it was a great hunter and now nothing more than a dying prey. With single stab my claw piercing its chest and tore out its core.

Few minutes passed since I've finished my battle. Vajra earlier had been disassembled down to its part. Just as usual, the sweet smell of blood permeates the air. I released my Aragami form. The giant Aragami which housing my real body crumbled to a pool of oracle cells and absorbed back. It was quite strange, everything around collapsed and my senses slowly returned to my real body.

Out of curiosity I examined the wound I'd inflicted on Ogretails from before. It was clean-cut, no fractures, no jagged part. A testament on how devastating my wrist blades against unarmored target, especially when performed under booster effect.

Something buzzing from above and it interrupting my examination. No way, a helicopter bearing Fenrir mark on its side heading right to this place. I dropped all my loot and hid in one of the ruin nearby. The helicopter approached me after few minutes. Its side door opened, two persons jumping out and landed on cliff below. The first one was Sakuya, Lindow's fiancée, the second person... impossible...

It was my sister. Rina was there, standing on a cliff while looking at her surroundings. It chilled me down to my bone. My hands would be covered in sweat if I could. Half of me want to run straight to her and hug her tightly. Lindow probably had told Sakuya about me, so she wouldn't shoot me on sight. My other side feared my sister's reaction. We had a strong bond, she won't reject me even if I had become like this. The real problem is what if she refused to believe that I'm still me? What if she saw me as Aragami that masquerading as her sister?

Losing my humanity was hard but I could stand it. Forced to devour Aragami for the rest of my life was harder than before but with enough time I'll get over it. But not if she denies me. It would surely break me apart. No, I must find a way to convince my sister first. I would meet her only after she believed that my mind still intact.

* * *

They finally left this place. I had decided to avoid her until I could convince her somehow. At least she was the one that found Vajra's remains. There was nothing left for me to do here so I'm heading back to my shelter.

If I think about it, Rei hadn't spoken to me since the beginning of my hunt.

'Rei? Why did you stay quiet this entire time?'

 _'I was about to... cheer you up, or that's what I learned from your knowledge. However, given my inexperience with human emotions I might exacerbate it instead, thus I opt to stay quiet.'_

'Thank you Rei.'

 _'For what? I didn't do anything.'_

'For trying.'

 _'I don't get it. Whatever.'_

I smiled at him. He was annoying and whimsical at some times but deep down he cared about me.

 _'Hold on, I hear footsteps. Possibly a single person and it's quite far from here.'_

Unsurprisingly, my ears picked the said sound but only if I'm focusing myself.

'How could you always sense something faster than I do?'

 _'Because you merely lived for nine days as Aragami, unlike me.'_ There... His smug filled voice back again.

The mysterious footsteps actually a lone God Eater wearing a tattered cloak. Judging from body proportion its a female. This was extremely unusual. God Eater almost always work in group, not to mentions her tattered cloak. They lived in glamorous lifestyle, even if they're newbie and couldn't afford a personal cloth, Fenrir would always provide them clean uniform. So there's a good chance that she had been cut off from her main unit. Survivor from a disastrous mission perhaps?

She heads south from Wailing Plains which incidentally the same direction as my shelter. Her journey was coming to halt as a Chi-You coming down from above and landed in front of her. I crept closer without her noticing me and prone between grasses. This way I could watch or spring to her aid if she lost the fight.

Her God Arc raised. It was a blade with strange miniature gun barrel attached to its underside. Ah, the famous New-Type God Arc, renowned for switchable gun or blade mode. Chi-You raised its arm and shooting few energy ball. She sidesteps it while changing her weapon. Her blade shrinking and swapped with her gun which now resemble Sakuya's. She snipes its head. It cracked a bit and trail of blood seeping from its wound. The Chi-You screech and jump before diving right at her.

Her weapon changed back and a shield deployed just in time as the Chi-You crashing down on her. She was thrown backward, but there was no noticeable injury. She charges forward and strike right at its wing. It recoiled a bit but managed to strike back at her stomach before she retreated.

"aaaaaah"

She cried in pain and thrown away for second times. A nasty cracking sound coming out from her landing. There was no doubt about it, two of her ribs fractured. She stood up once more and started to cough. That's it, I had to intervene this immediately. If I didn't either she died in fight or she died after fight. I stood up and closing in on them.

 _'So you decided to help her. It's already wounded but still, be careful.'_

A spike went through Chi-You's palm, and second later another spike impaling its other palm. Another strange satisfaction grown in me when it screeched in pain. My blade formed and I dashed at its side. The Chi-You tried to strike me but I dodged and severing its wing instead. Without giving it a chance to recover my blade cut off its other wing and went right at its head. A clean cut followed by a thud marked its demise.

"Who... are..."

Another thud come from behind me.

"Greaaat, now I have to carry this bird part AND an unconscious girl to my shelter." I shouted in exasperation.

 _'Good lucks with your labor.'_

'Oh shut up.'

* * *

Finally, I reached my shelter after around an hour of walking. Right now the still unconscious girl lay down in my makeshift bed. I've removed her tattered cloth and examined her. She was around my age, had a shoulder length light blond hair, and slightly pale skin. Her cloth was extremely revealing though, a black mini shorts, a teal bikini style bra, and teal small vest. Seriously, less cloth means better movement but this is on whole new level.

Her wound was quite worrying. As I suspected earlier, she got two fractured ribs, few bruises, and multiple lesions. However, something is amiss with her God Arc. It was damaged from multiple sources at different times. Some of its part began to wear, not to mention there almost no sign of maintenance for quite long time. A separated God Eater main priority is to regroup with their unit, yet from her God Arc it feels like she didn't even trying to. I had to ask her when she had regained her consciousness. Right now I got two problems that need to be solved as soon as possible.

I didn't have food or medicine.

A God Eater was an augmented human, but in the end still a human. They need food, sleep, and medicine when wounded, unlike me. So even a God Eater was still quite fragile in this ruthless world.

There was nothing more I could do for her except basic first aid. This was one of the rare instance I wished that I took combat medic course instead. I shredded a part of her cloak into makeshift bandages and started to wrap her chest.

"uuuh"

She began to regain consciousness. No way, I just started to bind her. I worked even faster than before. Slightly rough but at least her chest would be completely wrapped up when she finally woke up. She slowly open her eyes right after I finished tying the binding. I moved away as she slowly sit up.

"Take it easy, and don't make sudden move. You got two fractured ribs."

"Where am I? Who... WHAT THE HELL!"

She screamed and stood up immediately, only to grunting in pain. Why the hell did she screamed in panic?

"As I said, you broke two of your ribs. Sit down before it become worse."

"No! Stay away you monster!" She took a step away and put herself in the corner of the room.

Damn, I forgot about my yellow slitted eyes. Anyone would be frightened if they found themselves alone, wounded, and defenseless with Aragami in their face. Ever since my first hunt I had accepted the fact that I wasn't a human anymore and will never became one again, but being told a monster right on my face still hurt a lot. However, now is not the time to think about it. I must calmed her down immediately before she hurt herself even more, by force if necessary.

I raised up my hands and walked away slowly while facing her. "I mean no harm. If I really wanted to kill you I wouldn't save you from that Chi-You, remember?"

Her eyes widen and her panic slowly fading away. She sat back on the bed and began checking her wrapping.

"Oh about that, I rip a part of your cloak. Sorry but I don't have other options. Oh! Where's my manners. My name is Rena Asari, nice to meet you." I leaned against the wall.

"Marguerite... Marguerite Claverie. What exactly are you?" Her tone was extremely flat.

"You already know the answer." My voice carried a slight sadness in it.

"Aragami."

I nodded slowly.

"How? I never heard anything about humanoid Aragami, let alone the sentient one. And where did you get that uniform?"

"It's a long story but basically this was given to me. Now tell me, why did you leave Fenrir?"

She immediately tensed up. Her eyes shining with hostility. "So you are their hound?"

"Me? Working with them? Impossible," I scoffed at her.

"Then how do you know about me?" Her voice full of distrust.

"I don't. Your God Arc is a dead giveaway. Multiple damage from different source along with lack of maintenance."

"I hate them, that's all I can say. Now where's my God Arc?" Her tone soften, but still had an edge in it.

I raised my eyebrow at her. "And what are you planning to do with it?"

"I must leave."

"With that conditions? I think not."

"Give. me. my. God. Arc." Her tone became more menacing with each word.

"Listen up idiot, I saved you, carried your unconscious body to this place, and dressed up your wound. I'm not going to waste all my efforts by letting you die out there. Unless you give me a damn good reason you'll stay here until I tell you otherwise," I snapped back at her.

We glaring at each others for a while before she released a sigh.

"I'm on a mission to gather Aragami core for Nemus Diana's Anti-Aragami wall maintenance. It might breached if I'm not return soon." She finally relented.

"So you want to hunt again in that condition and bring back Aragami Cores right away. Do you have a death wish? And what the hell is this Nemus Diana?"

"Settlement that is not under Fenrir jurisdiction. I'm willing to take the risk. People in there depending on Anti-Aragami wall for survival."

This news caught me off guard. I never heard anyone other than Fenrir had enough resources to built and maintained a fully functional Anti-Aragami wall. The cost was simply enormous even for small sized one, not to mention oracles needed for upkeep.

Someone or some group managed to built and maintained a functional Anti-Aragami wall despite all odds, interesting. What should I do now... If I just let her go she would get herself killed. If I kept her here people from Nemus Diana would suffer the consequences. Neither of it sat well with my conscience. Or...

"Alright let's make a deal. Give me your cloak and I'll escort you to Nemus Diana. I'll even give you half of that as bonus." My finger pointed at my stash of assorted Aragami parts and cores.

Her cold facade falter. A blend of surprise and wary flashed for a second. She stared at me for a moment.

"Why?" Another flat tone coming out from her mouth.

"If I let you free you probably gonna do your suicide mission. If I keep you here your people will get slaughtered if Aragami managed to breach the wall. So I give you my stash and I will protect you until we reached Nemus Diana."

"What's the catch? I don't think this will benefit you at all." Her voice filled with intense distrust.

"On the contrary. By giving you my leftovers I get a cloak and a chance to explore new places. It's a win-win for both of us."

"I don't trust you. It's in Aragami instinct to devour everything. You can just pretending to help me only to attack people when you arrived." She spat at me.

I flinched at her frank display of brash mistrust. Justified, but still hurt me.

"Try to think using your brain for once. Why should I do that when other Aragami are much more common and filling to eat? You're right about instinct part but I'm not driven by it, unlike those mindless Aragami."

She stopped for a while and seems to ponder over my reasoning.

 _'Why don't just tell her that you want to help her?'_

'A sentient humanoid Aragami is rare enough, a helpful one? Borderline impossible. I tone down my intentions to make it believable at least.'

I picked up her God Arc blade behind me and offered its handle to her.

"Sooo, do we have a deal?"

She sighs once more before grabbed the God Arc handle. "Fine. I'll be watching you."

* * *

Both of us packed up immediately. There was not much to take aside from Aragami materials and cloth from my bedding. By the time we were ready to leave it was evening and the sun about to set.

Another hour of walking and we reached Wailing Plains. It was nighttime thus her sight significantly reduced. If not for the moonlight she wouldn't be able to see her own legs. I asked her to make a camp there but she stubbornly refused and kept pushing forward instead. Soon we arrived at forest border east of the Wailing Plains.

"Okay, no more walking. Let's make a camp."

"No. We almost reach Nemus Diana. It's in the middle of this forest." She kept refusing me.

"I've relented when you refused me to set up a camp in Wailing Plains but not this time. Entering a forest in the midnight is just plain nuts, furthermore I need to check your bindings."

"No. I must ret- HEY LET ME GO!" She screamed immediately when I pounced and tied her down with my cloth.

She desperately wiggles closer to God Arc that fell not far from her. Nope, she wouldn't have it. I picked her God Arc and glared right at her. A frustration formed and it eaten my patience. Can't she understand that everything I did was for her sake? She wouldn't last long if she entered a forest at night, let alone when wounded. God Eater had no night vision and their hearing was slightly better than a normal human. She would become easy target for ambush.

"Nuh-uh, I had enough about your idiocy. It's obvious that you don't realize how bad your situations are. If not for my sight, which is unhindered by darkness, you probably became Ogretails chew toy by now."

"Then help me like you previously do." She maintained her glare at me.

"That is a forest blockhead. No matter how good my hearing and sight there's always a room for ambush. If such thing really happen what will you do? Now shut up and let me check your wound."

She returned my glare for a minute before finally given up and stopped struggling. I released her and undoing her chest wrap. Her bruise had healed up quite a bit and no longer swelled. Her ribs had gotten better than before. Still fractured and slightly bruised but no noticeable swell. It seems God Eater had faster healing than a normal human. Still, moved around so much with two broken ribs... This girl had quite high pain tolerance. I dressed back her wound and stand up.

"Your wound has healed up, except your broken ribs. Now I'm going to hunt you some food in this forest. You haven't eaten anything since I saved you. Promise me that you will stay here until I return." I stared right at her eyes.

She slowly nodded at me. While she didn't say anything, her eyes held no lies. I smiled at her and walked away.

And again, my prediction was true, it was dark in here. Dense foliage had completely blocked everything, not even a shimmer of moonlight could pass through. All my senses constantly flooded by new sensation. A pine like smell mixed with a tinge of flowers scent, sounds of bird chirping and flapping their wings in the air, a distinct vibration right beneath me as rabbit or mole passed through a tunnel, and even distant growl of Aragami.

A movement followed by sound of stepped dried leaves coming out from a bush ahead of me. I made few sleek spikes and let it float above me. These spikes were much thinner and less bulky, almost as thin as arrow. This way I could kill without destroying my prey in front of me, which either a fox or rabbit.

First spike flew forward but only rustling leaves was heard. Another one flew ahead, this time a small snapping sound followed my spike. My prey had stepped and broke a twig. The third spike went right at the source of noise. I was rewarded with a yelp and scent of blood.

It was a fox. By the time I found it the fox was on its dying breath, my spike had entered its chest and completely went through it. I snapped its neck and walked away with its carcass, back to my new friend at the edge of this forest.

A relief mixed with happiness grown in me. She fulfilled her promise. Not only that, she even built a tent using my scrap cloth. Right now she aims her God Arc in gun mode at a bundle of wood. Her gun spitted a blaze bullet and igniting it, effectively turned the bundle into a campfire.

"Hey Marcy~ look what I got for you." I swung the fox side to side in front of me.

 _'Stop that fake cheerfulness, its creepy.'_

'Shut up you jerk.'

 _'Not a chance.'_

"Marcy?" She raised her eyebrow at me.

"Yeah Marcy. Marguerite is way too mouthful so you are Marcy now. Oh yeah, this is your dinner." I dropped the fox next to campfire.

"I didn't give you permission to nicknaming me." She sat down and skinned the fox.

"I don't care. You are Marcy now, unless you give me your nickname of course." I sat down in front of her.

"Whatever."

I created a sleek spike in my palm and hand it over. "Here, use this as a skewer."

She was surprised, but didn't say anything. She took my spike and began to grill the fox over campfire.

"Convenient isn't it. I can even make a toothpick if you want."

She didn't respond to my joke, not even a word, what an ice block. I watched the fire dancing below half grilled fox.

"... Thank you."

It was almost inaudible, barely a whisper. I wouldn't be able to hear it if not for my enhanced senses.

"Hey Marcy." I grinned widely when she looked into my eyes. "I heard that, no problem."

She looked down immediately and began to eat. An incomprehensible mutter coming out from her mouth between each chew and her heartbeat increased. Did she somehow embarrassed? Nope, not even a tint of flush on her cheek. Either she really didn't or she was the best poker face user I ever met.

I turned my back and took out an Ogretail Core. After more than a week I had finally accepted that this is how I lived, by consuming other Aragami. Even so, I'm not going to indulge myself by eating Aragami for pleasure, it so bestial.

Just as usual, the core had delicious taste in it, like a pure honey, sweet yet fresh. An intrusive thought crossed me while I was savoring the taste. Gradually, I become more like Aragami in behaviors. A week ago I still repulsed with eating any Aragami part, in next few days it was no longer repulsing, now it became enjoyable instead. What would happen if my sister saw me like this? Probably disgusted. Mad? A possibility. Not because she cared about me, it was because she considered me as Aragami that took her sister's life. No, I must prevent that. It would become almost impossible to fix our relationship if she considered me as nothing more than a fake.

"I'm going to sleep."

Marcy voice stopped my brooding. That made me half annoyed half grateful. Nothing good came out from moping after all. I stood up and walked away.

"I'm going to patrol around this area. We'll move out in the morning, good night."

Her only response was a nod. She put out campfire before lay down in her tent. Patrolling was merely an excuse, nothing could sneak up without me hearing it first. I bolted away with a blade in my hand, searching any prey that could be used as a target for my frustration.


	5. Aragami in the Den

_'I don't get it. What are you doing?'_

'Cooking. What do you expect?'

 _'Why? It's unnecessary and less filling than a core.'_

I roasted a fresh deer over campfire, a result from last night 'patrolling'. It didn't have a chance. Single swipe was all it take to turn it into our breakfast. Marcy still hadn't got up yet so it was up to me to preparing this deer. By using my spikes I made a makeshift spit and roast it.

'This mostly for Marcy, although I will take some as well. Yeah I know it's pointless but there's no harm in doing it.'

 _'Why bother to help her? She nothing but annoyance. She didn't listen your advice, hard-headed, and cold as ice.'_

'Because deep down she has a good heart, just like you Rei. Annoying and obnoxious but both of you cared for others.' I stifled a laugh as Rei grumbling to himself.

The sky brighten when sun slowly rose from the horizon. A sunbeam piercing through mist in the dense forest, creating impressive scenery. I sat in front of it, nibbling a chunk of venison while still mesmerized by unexpected display of nature. Such serene place still exist even in this devastated world. My admiration interrupted by a rustling sound coming out from the tent.

"Morning sleepyhead. Come, look what I got from my patrol last night." I gestured her to come closer.

Marcy immediately spotted the roasted deer beside me. She took a portion and sat down.

"We should get ready soon. You have materials to deliver, plus I kinda want to see what's Nemus Diana looks like."

"Yes."

Her reply was short and simple but still better than nothing. "Alright I'll pack up the tent, you just stay here and finish your breakfast."

All I got is a nod. Oh well, I still had a job to do. Few questions came up while I'm still dismantling the tent. Why did she so distant and cold? What happened in her past life? While its true that some people prefer to talk less, it almost looked like she actively avoids talking. The only time I got a full-sized conversation was when the first time we met, not like she had any choice anyway.

Unlike last night, morning in forest felt much less tense. Strange thing considering my senses were still the same regardless day or night. Perhaps because most critters active at day thus gave off 'crowded' vibe? And just as usual, she didn't speak to me in our journey.

We found a cliff after few hours of walking. The said cliff circling a part of the forest, forming a giant crater. Right at the center of the separated forest lies a large dome like structure with segmented glass as its roof.

"So that's Nemus Diana. Pretty impressive but it makes me wonder, how did they managed to build that in the first place? While it's not as large as Far East Branch outer wall it still require massive amounts of resources."

"I don't know."

"Oh well, not my business. Time to fulfill your part, give me your cloak."

"Why did you need this?" She took her cloak off and hand it to me.

"To conceal my most noticeable features, my eyes and uniform." I took her cloak and put it on. It was significantly shorter than before, barely reached my knees now. Not surprising considering how much I cut from the cloak for her chest binding.

"Alright it's time for us to part ways. Here, I give you some extra." I took most of my Cores and gave it to her. Only two Cores left in my pocket, not a problem since I could hunt anytime I want.

"I didn't hear nor see any Aragami around so you probably gonna be okay on your own. Good bye, try not to push yourself too hard kay." I waved my hand at her and walked away.

"Why did you helped me?"

"Was it wrong to care about humans?" I asked back at her.

She couldn't reply my question but there was no doubt that she still didn't believe me, not like I care anyway. She survived her mission, Nemus Diana got few cores for its wall, and I got a cloak. Not an equal value but still a win-win.

"... thank you."

Her voice surprising me. It still had a slice of distrust in it but that was the first time she thanked me out loud. Last night was an exception since she didn't know that I could hear her. I waved my hand again without turned my back. "Yeah, take care of yourself."

Walking alone was quite different than with a silent companion. While it was true that in both situations no conversation would ever made, a silent companion still made some unintentional noises like footstep, breath, and heartbeat. Unlike now which was complete quietness on my way back, except for nature-made sound.

' _So you have fully accepting the fact that you are no longer human. Faster than I thought.'_

'What are you talking about?'

 _'Your speech pattern changed. It almost like you never lived as human before.'_

'Nope it's merely a ruse.'

 _'Yeah yeah sure.'_

Ground beneath me suddenly trembled, a tremor followed by a roar echoed in the distance. Few birds flew away from nearby tree. It was not my imagination, even wildlife could sense that.

'What the hell is that?'

 _'Something large and heavy, a rare massive sized Aragami.'_

'Okay let's check it out.'

 _'Be careful and avoid any unnecessary conflict. Not only its core worth less than the trouble it caused, there's a good chance that you'll get wounded in the process.'_

'Yes mom.' I rolled my eyes.

* * *

To said that was a living hill is not an overstatement. That thing literally a small hill sized Aragami with multiple tendrils as it limbs. It was the largest Aragami I ever met, definitely way larger than both Susano'o and my Aragami form, even its head was larger than adult human. Most of its skin covered in moss, except its tendrils and multi eyed head. Fenrir surely made a good job in updating their Aragami database. In just ten days I had met two Aragami that not listed in it.

The giant roaming around Wailing Plains, more specifically area around endless tornado. This place really attracted a lot of Aragami, something to do with the endless tornado perhaps?

A distinct footstep caught my attention and almost made me fall from my hiding spot. A certain brown coated happy-go-lucky guy charging right at its feet with large red chainsaw like God Arc in his hand. Idiot Lindow, he taking on another absurd Aragami without any backup again. I jumped from the cliff and flung few spikes at the giant's eyes.

"Rena? What're you doing here?" Lindow dashing out of the giant range while it still staggered from my spikes.

"That was my line you idiot! Nevermind, kill that thing first ch **at later**." My body changed. Not as large as that thing but better than stayed in human form.

"Whoa... Is that you Rena?"

" **Yes now shut up we got a giant to kill.** "

Lindow running at my side and slashing its leg. I slamming my fist at its head but merely chipped a bit. It jumped and tried to crushed us with its body. My booster taking me to a safe distance with Lindow in my right hand. An idea crossing me. I stretched my right arm, he immediately noticed my intention.

"Are you kidding me?"

" **Nope.** " I replied his shout with a grin.

I swung my right arm and threw Lindow upward. He crashed right on top of its back and began hacking it. My booster armed along with my wrist blade. One of its front tendril severed as I cut through it and landed behind it. It swinging its tendrils in revenge. I was forced to retreat but not before cutting off another one of its tendrils. Lindow secured himself by using his God Arc as anchor. He continued to hacking its back after its stopped stomping around.

I tried to severed another tendril. It suddenly turned its head on me and shot a pillar of extremely hot beam. It destroyed my shoulder armor. I spit a torrent of searing blue flames at it tendrils. A part of it charred and turned black. It swung its tendrils at me. I raised my arms in attempt to blocked it. Suddenly the giant stopped moving.

It collapsed after few moments of stillness. A lone figure stood on its back with a green core in its God Arc. Lindow successfully extracted its Core while he still mounted. He stepped down and stopped in front of me.

"So... can you turn back? It's kinda awkward talking to a large lizard."

" **You owe me an explan** ation." My Aragami form crumbled into liquid oracle and absorbed back.

"First a black scorpion, now a hill sized Aragami, what's next? And how outdated Fenrir database was? In just 10 days I've found two unknown Aragami." I glared right at his eyes.

"Chill down will ya. That monster is Ouroboros, a rare and dangerous species. I believe NORN had an info about it, maybe you accidentally skip it? As for Susano'o, it's indeed classified, only a handful of people knew that species existence."

"Classified? Why did they do that?"

"Susano'o is a new species, we barely have any info about that. Publishing an info based on speculation alone can do more harm than good. There's also a nasty rumor regarding that Aragami."

"Hm? Rumor?" That piqued my curiosity.

"They said Susano'o is a God Eater that succumbed to infection. I don't know about that, but it surely a highly dangerous Aragami. That's probably why director sent me to exterminate it."

"That two-faced bastard again. I hate that man, he looks like a normal leader but I highly doubt his motivation and this accident make me even more wary at him."

"Why?" Lindow inquired.

"He was there when I was... Infected. He was disturbingly calm, as if he already knew what happened to me." His calm borderline eerie voices replayed in my mind.

"You're right, I don't trust him either." Lindow put his God Arc on his shoulder. "So, wanna come with me? My offer still stand."

"And just like I said before, no thanks. Don't wanna become a test subject, and don't forget about that creepy director of yours."

"This time is different. I'll help you to enter Den undetected and hide yourself in Dr. Sakaki's lab. It's the only place in entire Den that has its security camera disabled."

"Why should I?" I raised my eyebrow at him.

"If you come with me you'll be able to meet up with your sister. Dr. Sakaki promised that no test will be done without your consent so you don't have to worry about becoming a lab rat." Lindow said.

I frowned at his explanation, if only everything was so simple. My sister probably going to reject me. I must win her trust first.

"No Lindow, thanks for your offer."

"Why?" He asked.

"It because my sister. She probably thinks that I'm a fake, an Aragami that pretending to be her sister."

"Nope that won't happen, your sister was the one that reques... no, she literally begs for my help right after I told her about you."

No way, I must've misheard him. "Did you said my sister begging for your help?"

"Hey, put some faith in your sister. She cried for entire night on that day. Do you really think that she won't believe you?"

 _'I don't understand much about your problem but at least we can escape from that place again if things go south.'_

Rei had a point and I trusted both of them so there shouldn't be any problem. Did I worry too much? I could only hope that Lindow was right about my sister.

"Fine, I'll give it a shot." I finally made my decision.

"I know you'll understand." Lindow smiling at me and press a button on his radio. "Hibari connect me to Dr. Sakaki."

"Right away." A woman voice which presumably an operator named Hibari coming out from his radio.

"Yo doc, I met her and she agreed to your offer. Send the chopper immediately."

Now all that's left is to wait for extraction chopper. I'll just put on my cloak when it arrived. Wait, cloak? My cloak was missing. The last time I had it was when I switched to my Aragami form, shit...

'My cloak is gone now isn't it?'

 _'You just realized it by now? Unlike your uniform, it was created using normal fabric. Of course it would get absorbed.'_

'Note to self, make a new oracle infused clothing when I have time to spare.' I released a sigh.

"Hm? Something on your mind?" Lindow noticed my sigh.

"Nothing important. Any idea how to get me into Den without raising suspicion?"

"I've taken care of it."

My eyebrow raised at his overly simple answer.

"Just wait for the chopper."

* * *

I couldn't believe it. His so called solution was a hoodie and sunglasses. I didn't know whether I should smack him for being overly simplistic or smack myself for thinking too much.

"This is your solution?" I stared in disbelief at him. He sat in a vacant seat in front of me and inhaling his cigarette.

"You are a perfect copy of your sister except for your hair and eyes. You can disguise yourself as your sister with that. Simple yet perfect solution if you ask me." Lindow shrugged.

I released another sigh.

 _'You sighing a lot lately. You took this too far.'_

'Probably, but I can't help it.'

' _You can punch through this helicopter door and run away if you like.'_

'Running away doesn't solve anything.'

 _'Indeed it doesn't, but it allow you to make a better plan.'_

I released another sigh, again.

"Nervous?" Lindow spoke to me. A trail of smoke leaking out from his mouth.

"No, but this is bound to fail. What do you think will happen if I meet my sister?" I stared at him.

"Impossible, right now your sister is on a mission with the rest of my team in City of Mercy."

"And your operator? There's no way she doesn't notice me."

"She already knows about you."

"Fine... You will take responsibility if something goes wrong." I put on my sunglasses and hoodie. This is one of the most ridiculous idea I ever agreed on.

"Relax, got it covered." He took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth.

No, he wouldn't have it. I smirked mischievously at him and created a pen-sized needle. Few seconds later his cigarette had a brand new hole near its filter, courtesy of my needle.

"Hey, what was that for?" He yelled at me.

"Smoking is bad for your health you know?" Which was a blatant lie. Oracle Cells in God Eater body rendered them completely immune against any kind of normal illness. A necessity since they worked in some of the most hostile environment that Far East had, from the hellish Infernal Subway up to the bone-chilling Tranquil Temple.

"Since when did you become so impish like this? There goes my last cigarette." Lindow threw his cigarette away.

"Since the moment I was born." My smirk widen into full-blown grin.

"Oh yeah, Dr. Sakaki said you must refrain yourself from using your Oracle inside the Den, it will trigger a false reading or something. Dunno about that stuff but the point is don't make any spike okay?"

"Mhm... don't think I'll need it anyway." I nodded in agreement.

We almost arrived at the Den, probably in half an hour at most. The Far East outer wall stood tall on the horizon. This felt like the first time I left orphanage, except it was Lindow instead of Rina that accompanying me now.

"How it feels like?" Lindow suddenly spoke to me.

"Like what?"

"You know, about your body?"

"Oh, it's improvements actually, for the most of it. I can fight without relying on God Arc which give me advantage in combat. My senses improved beyond measure, I can hear your heartbeat for example."

"Seriously? You will become our best scout with that kind of hearing." His eyes widen in surprise.

"Scout? Nope, they'll dissect me instead. My strength and resistance improved as well. The only thing that can harm me is either a God Arc or Aragami.

"Yeah, you've proven yourself week ago. You crossed a lava lake barefooted and almost crushed me like a tin can after that." He smirked at me.

"Whaa... Stop it, that was an accident. I've told you I'm sorry." I put my hands on my face. That was one of my most embarrassing mistake I ever made. "However, there're few drawbacks though. I don't and can't sleep. A minor annoyance compared to the other thing."

"Other thing?" Lindow asked.

"My new diet. I can eat normal food but it barely sate my hunger."

Strange, I didn't feel anything even though I told him that I ate other Aragami. Wait... food? I reached for my leg pocket. Damn it, only two cores left. How could I forgot that I gave Marcy most of my stash.

"Uhh... Lindow? I got a problem..."

"Hm?" He gave me a questioning look.

"I'm running out of food. This merely enough for two or three days at most." I showed him my cores.

"Is that Araga-"

"Yes, Chi-You and Vajra Core." I interrupted him.

"I see, what kind of core do you want?"

"Anything will do. I suggest the easiest one like Ogretail or Cocoon Maiden."

"Alright I'll try to slip some tonight."

"Thank you Lindow but don't push it too hard, I still have few days worth food."

Aragami Core was completely useless for a God Eater, unlike its body parts. They gave it to engineer and maintenance crew for strengthening Anti-Aragami Wall or as a foundation of new God Arc. It definitely suspicious for God Eater to kept even a single core.

"Don't worry about me. If anyone asks I'll just tell them it was Dr. Sakaki's request." Lindow put his hand on my head and ruffled my hair.

* * *

The Den lobby filled with civilian, operator, God Eaters, and even a vendor that set up a shop near operator desk. That was way more crowded than the first time I arrived here. The vendor tried to offer restore pills to God Eater that checking his stand. He got a pretty good selection, few different kind of medicine, uniform, materials, and few... GODDAMN RPG warhead?!

"Lindow? Who gave that vendor permission to bring RPG into Den lobby?" I tried to keep my voice down, not an easy task considering my intense urge to kick that vendor butt out.

"Oh that's replica. Do you think our security was that sloppy?" Lindow smirked at me.

Great, an embarrassing blunder on my first day in the Den, just great.

 _'Cover your right hand.'_ Rei voice booming in my head.

'Huh? What?'

 _'I can't believe it, my host is an airhead. You are pretending to be your sister, yet you don't realize that you have no Armlet? Good job.'_ He gave out a mocking sigh.

'Well, sorry for messing up my FIRST disguise attempt... jerk.' I crossed my arms and hid my right wrist.

"There you are. Director was looking for you Lindow." A girl with auburn hair called him. Probably an operator judging from her uniform.

"Oh? You don't see me." Lindow waved his hand in dismissal.

We rode an elevator down few levels and stopped at laboratory section. This area was restricted to Fenrir members so I never sat a foot in here. I followed Lindow and heading straight to the end of the corridor. We stopped in front of a door which presumably Dr. Sakaki's office.

"The girl who called me earlier is Hibari, our only operators. A good girl but tend to overworking herself."

So my guess was correct. She was the one that answered Lindow earlier. A young operator, probably around my age I guess.

"Here we are, doc? Are you in there?" Lindow knocking the door.

"Yes, come in."

Lindow opened the door. A familiar middle-aged man wearing glasses sat behind multi-monitor computer. He immediately stopped typing and staring at us, well... at me to be precise.

"Wait... I know you!" There is no mistaking it, he was the one that stood behind Johannes in the observation room.

"Yes, I believe introduction are in order. I'm Dr. Paylor Sakaki, Far East Branch head scientist." He introduced himself.

"I have other business to attend to, see you later Rena." Lindow walked away.

"Okay, good bye"

Lindow closed the door. It was quiet for few minutes. Kinda uncomfortable, Dr. Sakaki Inspecting every inch of my body like I'm some kind of specimen.

"Can you take off your hood and glasses?"

I did as he said, leaving both my hair and eyes exposed to him.

"Incredible," Dr. Sakaki continued to scanning every part of my body. "Do you realized that your very existence alone have invalidated at least few hypotheses about Aragami?"

"No but all I know is you've promised me-"

"There'll be no test performed without your consent. Yes I know, it's a promise." Dr. Sakaki cut me off. He walked to the strange red door at right side of his computer.

"This is room is specially tailored just for you. The wall lined with Anti-Aragami material and jammer, that way you can do anything without getting detected." Dr. Sakaki put a card on the door handles and pushed the door aside after a single beep.

My new room was quite spacious, much larger than my shelter. Its wall and ceiling painted in white, reminds me of clinic. It had furniture such as bed, table, wardrobe, sofa in its corner and a mini kitchen on the other side. It also had two normal looking doors on my sides.

"That door on your left is leading to bathroom, the other one to training room."

"Training room?"

"Another custom-made room. It had various reading instrument to calculate your strength and its wall thickness is doubled just in case. You must know that any data collected during your training will be used as research material."

Well at least he was honest, unlike that creepy director. "I don't mind as long as your research is safe to anyone."

"Of course. I may be a scientist but dangerous experiment is something I tend to avoid. Here, this is for you." He gave me the card that he used earlier.

I took his card and put it in my pocket. Is it me or he immediately cheered up after I told him it's okay?

"You are free to wander around but don't leave my lab. It will be disastrous if someone outside of First Unit find you." I nodded at him.

"Now, please take a seat. I have few questions to ask." He took few papers and a pen from his pocket and sat in one of the sofa.

I took a seat in front of him. "Alright, what is it?"

* * *

He was ecstatic. Dr. Sakaki rained down questions upon questions on me. Trivial questions such as how it felt like, to absurdly difficult questions like how I could stay sane. There's no way in hell I told him it was Rei that helped me, so I told him I don't know.

Like a true scientist, he somehow managed to keep up with our discussions while relentlessly wrote every single details down to his papers. How the heck did he fit in all these stacks of blank paper in his pocket?

Talking about training room, did it had any Oracle scanner? If so I might find out how I could make floating spikes appeared out of thin air. "Doc Sakaki? Did the training room have any Oracle scanner?"

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"I'm curious, how can I do this?" I made a pen sized spike and let it circling me.

Dr. Sakaki stopped scribbling and eyeing my spike immediately. He wrote few notes on his paper before reached for my floating spike and plucked it. He examined it closely for few moments.

"Impressive... come Rena, I'll prepare the test immediately." He took out a plastic bag from his other pocket and wrapped my spike with it.

[Attention God Eaters: 7th unit has successfully slain an Ouroboros and taken the core. All engineers report to Lab No. 5]

Hm? Ouroboros? Why they said 7th unit instead of Lindow? Whatever, not my business.

"What's wrong Rena?" He noticed that I stopped following him.

"Oh nothing, just wandering why they said 7th unit instead of Lindow."

"What are you talking about?" Dr. Sakaki put my wrapped spike into his pocket.

"Huh? The announcement about Ouroboros?"

"Announcement? There's no speaker in this floor." He abruptly stopped and appeared like in a deep thought for a while. "Incredible... The closest speaker is on R&D lab, two floors above us. How sharp actually your hearing miss Rena?"

"Sharp enough to let me hear your breath. Your computer is beeping."

"Thank you for telling me, please wait for a moment."

He left my room. Hm... maybe I should use this spare time to changing my cloth. I never got a spare cloth in more than a week. I opened my wardrobe. It had few sets of different sized standard Fenrir uniform, not bad for a freebie. What should I take? The hooded black and white one? I took off my dirty cloth and put on the new one. The soft fabric of Oracle infused uniform brushed against my skin. Yep, a perfect fit. It matched my white hair and black sunglasses. This cloth seems sturdy and comfortable, definitely a high quality uniform. Dr. Sakaki knocking my door just as I finished changing my cloth.

"Hold on, I'm coming." I pulled my door handle. "Yes Dr. Sa- eeeh?" Something or rather, someone tackles me down. We both crashed to the floor.

"Sis!" A very familiar voice followed by soft sobbing entered my ears.

WHAAAT? It was Rina!? Shit... 'Reiiii what should I do?'

 _'You asked me? An Aragami? About human interaction? I don't even know whether you're mocking me or serious about this.'_

Damn... I had forgotten about it. What a great sister I was. First I left her alone, now I made her cry.

I put my arms around Rina and hugged her tightly. She kept crying while muttering some grateful filled word.

"I'm sorry sis, I left you alone this whole time." I whispered to her.

It took good ten minutes before she stopped crying. Her eyes puffed and her voice hoarse, not surprising, ten minutes is quite a long time after all. I took her to bathroom and let her washed herself while I'm preparing a cup of iced tea and milk tea. Dr. Sakaki was quite generous, he filled this small kitchen with common ingredients. Not much, but enough for few kinds of different dishes and drinks. I should make some for him later.

She finished washing herself right after I put both cup on the table. She took a seat in front of me and sipping her tea.

"Milk tea? You still remember my favorite drink sis." She beamed at me.

"Of course, how can I forget that when you literally hoarding our week worth stock of milk tea powder back at the orphanage." I smirked at her.

She maintained a calm expression, a failed calm expression. Her cheek betrayed her, it was colored in red. Yeah, she was clearly blushed from embarrassment. She took out a small cardboard box and put it on the table.

"This is for you sis, I gather that myself." She pushed the box and put it in front of me.

"This... This can't be..." My tone laced with disbelief. It filled with at least six Aragami Cores. Was this mean she accepted me? How did she know about this? Oh who am I kidding, of course it was Lindow.

"Um... sis? Lindow told me when I'm still on a mission that you almost run out of food, so I take on few extra Aragami for you. I hope you like it..." She playing with her finger, a sign of nervousness.

"Thank you so much sis." I grabbed her hand.

Suddenly a bright flash filled my sight.

* * *

I was crying loudly, my pillow drenched in tears. Wait, why am I crying? Scratch that, I couldn't move, like this is not my body. What the hell was happened? I'm talking with Rina few moments ago.

"Why did you leave me sis..."

Ah I see, I'm in my sister's memories, that explained everything. Shit... I felt that. Her sorrow, despair, anguish, desolation, I felt everything. I knew she would end up like this, but not to THIS extent. It almost like her will to live had been snuffed out.

"Rina? You haven't had your dinner yet." Lindow voice coming out from the door.

"No, I don't want to."

"I know you're still grieving over your loss, but stop eating will only hurt yourself even more. Do you think Rena want you to grief over her like this?"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" My sister screamed.

That was unexpected. She is a gentle girl, for her to screaming loudly like this... How distressed she was? Damn it, I'm an idiot.

Another bright light filled my eyes.

The scenery changed, she still crying, but over her bed instead. She didn't hug her pillow like before. Someone knocks her door.

"Rina? You haven't eaten anything since last night. Come out Rina, you can't keep crying over your sister like this." Sakuya called her.

"No, leave me be." My sister couldn't even screaming now, she had exhausted herself.

"I bring news about your sister, she still alive despite being listed as incompatible."

Sakuya words sparked a new hope in my sister's heart. "What do you say? Don't lie to me! Incompatibility always leads to death."

"I'm not lying. Come out and eat, I'll explain everything after your breakfast."

The scenery changed once more. She sat in a corner of Den canteen, just like that day, the day when this is all began. She eating a bowl of milk added corn flakes. Sakuya and Soma sat in front of her while eating their own dessert, pudding and flan.

"Um... Sakuya? What kind of news you mentioned earlier?"

"I have a good news and a bad news. The bad news is she was infected instead of devoured."

"No way... that's worse than death." Another sorrow struck my sister's cracked heart.

"The good news is she retained her sanity. I'm not sure about that but Mr. Grouchy and I managed to held a short conversation with her before she escaped."

"Leave me alone," Soma interjected.

"Yeah it's true, I met her in my date."

The fourth person took everyone attention. Lindow came out of nowhere and sat beside my sister.

"White hair and yellow slitted eyes, everything else was still the same, isn't that right Sakuya?" Lindow asked rhetorically.

"Yes that's right." Sakuya nodded.

"Oh Rina, I have a message from your sister, she said she is okay and promised you that she'll meet you again."

"Where did you meet her? How did she do? What happened to her?" My sister uncharacteristically throwing her questions at Lindow repeatedly.

"Slow down will ya. I met her in Infernal Subway. She's fine really. She was infected and changed but only physically."

The spark of hope brighten in my sister. "Thank goodness she's okay. I don't care what happened, as long as it still her I'm fine with it." A tear of joy rolled down on her cheek.

I sensed that too, it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off from her shoulder. How low I'm, she cried in joy when she heard that my mind still intact, yet I doubted her?

"In that case, this is another bonus. She still looks the same, minus her hair and eyes." Lindow spoke.

"This probably a selfish request but I beg you, please help her. I don't want her to live alone out there. She has suffered a lot, especially after her infection. I'll do anything for you, please help her."

"Relax, I'm going help her anyway. I asked her to come here but she refused. She didn't want to become a test subject, or that's what she said. I'll have a chat with Dr. Sakaki later."

"Why Dr. Sakaki?"

"He's the one that can help her. You see, Dr. Sakaki's security camera was disabled, he can hide your sister in one of his lab, if he agreed to it though."

"Thank you, thank you so much Lindow. This is the second time you saved us, I don't think I can ever repay you." She bowed at him.

The scenery warped... Oh it's not over yet?

I'm inside a half-ruined building. Soma, Sakuya, and unknown boy wearing a cap stood around my sister. This place... City of Mercy. So this is where my sister gone on her mission.

"I'm done." Soma unleashed his God Arc predator mode and ripped off a Zygote Core.

"Oh yeah, we rock!" A boy wearing yellow cloth cap suddenly exclaimed. He reminded me of certain one-way radio named Romeo.

"Mission complete, send the transport Hibari." Sakuya said.

"Hold on, incoming call from Lindow to Rina, patching him through." Hibari voice ringing over my sister radio.

"Rina? Dr. Sakaki asked you to bring few Aragami Core, anything will do."

Eh? Dr. Sakaki? Oh yeah, the communication line probably bugged, it explained why Lindow didn't mention my name.

"Oh okay, I'll try to find some more." She closed her line. "Um... everyone? Dr. Sakaki want me to bring some Aragami Core, will you help me?"

"No need to hide it from us, it's for your sister, am I right?" Sakuya asked.

"Uh... yes, so... will you help me?"

"Of course Rina." Sakuya replied.

"Err guys, I have no idea what's going on here." The young boy spoke.

"None of your business." Soma answered.

Everything around me started to shimmering and blurred. Another one? How long this gonna be?

I'm in a white-painted room while sat on sofa. Oh I'm back, I'm here, in my own room with my sister crying in front of me... Damn... she saw my memories as well.

"Ten days... You wandering alone for ten days while I'm enjoying myself in this place... I'm so sorry sis..." She let out a sob between her words.

"No... that was my fault, I'm a coward. I choose to run away instead of facing you sis. I had my chance in Wailing Plains, but I hid myself instead. I'm sorry."

My tears fell on her shoulder. We hugged each other for a while. No, no more, I swore this was the last time I ever left my sister behind. No more running away from now on.


	6. Aragami and Russian Recruit

A flying spike hit an Ogretail right at its chest. That poor thing fell on the floor before slowly stopped, dead. Another Ogretail leaped at me from behind. Nope, nothing could sneak up on me, not with my enhanced senses. My blade formed. I cleaved the Aragami behind me in two with single swing. Ogretail corpses around me disintegrated, became a puddle of black tar before completely evaporated.

"You never cease to amaze me Rena. Two Ogretails in three seconds." Dr. Sakaki voice coming out from intercom. He watches my training with my sister in a separated observation room.

"Yeah, you're incredible sis, to think that you even cut one of it in half..." My sister's eyes gleamed with admiration.

What? She didn't think this was repulsive? I fought just like them, Oracle against Oracle, yet she praised me instead? Oh right, how could I forgot that, she said it herself that she didn't care what happened as long as I'm still me. A word alone couldn't express my gratitude, she placed her unwavering faith in me.

"So doc, how's the results?" I put my blade on a tray he provided earlier. No doubt that he gonna examined my blade as well, perhaps even dismantling it.

"My scanner picking up an Oracle field around you Rena. Your body constantly emitting an exceptionally dense Oracle field. Your spikes formed from these field, which is also the reason why you can guide them."

"Talking about spikes, have you finished scanning my spike? The one that you took yesterday."

"It made up from hardened Oracle Cells. You can say it is tougher version of Ogretail spike."

Alright, this test gave a good insight on my ability. Wait a minute... He said I constantly emitting Oracle field? Not good. "Doc? Can we do something about my Oracle field? It will do no good to anyone beside me."

"No need to worry about that Rena. Your Oracle field structure is unique, extremely dense yet stable. It doesn't have any effect on almost anything, barely detectable in fact."

"Okay... I think I had enough test for now. Come sis, I'll make a milk tea for you." I left with my sister in tow. Dr. Sakaki stayed in the observation room, probably checking my results or something.

She already waiting expectantly on the seat. Milk tea as always, just like the old times. I put both cup on the table and sat in front of her. Her eyes shining with excitement. She drank it greedily and downed the entire cup in single go.

"Slow down sis, your milk tea won't run away even if you sip it slowly."

"Sorry, I don't have any milk tea until yesterday. There's no kitchen in my room and my refrigerator filled with nothing but canned coffee, juice, and beer."

Ah that was the reason she acted like this. I made another milk tea, this time I pour it into a large mug instead of cup.

"Here, try to drink this in single go if you can." I grinned at her.

She unexpectedly pouts at me and sipped her milk tea slowly. She murmured random words like meanie or something.

 _'Agreed, she is indeed a meanie.'_

'That's my line you idiot.'

 _'See?'_ Rei laugh echoed in my head.

"Rina? Rena? Are you in there?" Lindow voice entering my room.

"Morning. Come in Lindow." I opened the door.

"Alright. You should go to lobby Rina, Tsubaki is coming up with an announcement. You don't want to make her waiting."

My sister visibly shuddered at the implication. How frightening this Tsubaki actually? My sister was quite gentle but not easily intimidated, for her to shivering like this...

"Of course. How about you Lindow?" My sister drank all her milk tea.

"I still have unfinished business here, I'll catch up with you soon."

"Okay, see you later sis, Lindow." She waved her hand and left us.

"See ya. Oh, don't forget asking Dr. Sakaki for spare card." I waved back at her before she closed the door. Lindow took an empty seat in front of me.

"So what kind of drink you want Lindow?"

"A beer will do."

"Right-o!" I opened my refrigator. My sister was right, it filled with nothing but juice, beer, and coffee. I took a can of beer and gave it to Lindow.

"Thanks." Lindow opened the can and drank it. He kept drinking for a while before stopped and put his beer on the table. "I have a favor to ask."

"Of course, what do you need Lindow?"

"There's a new recruit coming in. Alisa Illin... I forgot the rest, is a New-Type. She holds a record-breaking score in combat simulation, just like your sister. She will become a perfect addition for First Unit if not for her background."

"Background?" I took my sister's mug and washed it.

"It seems she has slightly unstable mind. I heard that she is under a special mental healthcare program for as long as she stays here. Can you watch her for me?"

"I really want to help you Lindow, but why me? I can't freely walking around you see."

"How far you can hear a conversation Rena?"

"Hm... Two floors give or take."

"That's enough. Don't worry about walking around, just tell me if you find something interesting."

"Sure, but it's better if you asked my sister as well. Her hearing is not as good as mine but she can move around without raising suspicion."

"Will do, I have to go now, got a boring paperwork to do." He drank all his beer and threw the empty can to a trash bin.

"See you later Lindow."

He closed the door just as Dr. Sakaki came out from training room. He held a stack of paper on his hand, definitely my test result.

"Hey doc, I'm kinda bored in here. Can you bring me some book? Maintenance crew manual if possible, or at least anything that close to it."

"Why manual?"

"For knowledge. I'm an engineer graduate, I want to join maintenance crew when I'm not running around chasing Aragami. As you can see, things doesn't turn out as it supposed to be and now I end up with even more spare time than I initially thought."

"I'll see what I can do."

* * *

Dr. Sakaki surely kind. He gave me whole set of maintenance crew manual and few other extra. More than two dozen books now stacked near my sofa, enough to fill few weeks worth of my spare time. I took the first volume of maintenance manual and began reading it.

Man, it was unexpectedly complex. Way more than what they taught me back at Magnolia. So becoming an Aragami didn't automatically made me smarter I guess.

My hand reached for box that my sister gave to me yesterday and took out a dark brown Core. Ah, Cocoon Maiden's Core, good, it would be a waste to gave me rare Cores. A Distinct bell ringing from far side of this floor just as I about to swallowed it.

Three persons came out from elevator on this floor. Judging from their footsteps they were heading to this place.

My guess was confirmed when they knocked Dr. Sakaki's door.

"Please come in, take a seat. Your lesson will begin shortly"

New scents entering my room not long after Dr. Sakaki replied to them. One of it was a fresh vanilla like scent which undoubtedly belonged to my sister, the two others were a dirt like scent and strange flowery scent mixed with a tinge of cigarette.

Dr. Sakaki said that only First Unit that regularly visiting him, that brought me a new question. Who was the owner of these new scent? Definitely not Lindow, Soma, or Sakuya. That mean... it was the boy with yellow cap that shown up in my sister's memories and the new Russian recruit that Lindow said earlier.

"Do you know what's Oracle is?" Dr. Sakaki asked.

"A single-celled organism that make up an Aragami." An unknown girl answered Dr. Sakaki question.

"Correct Alisa. Aragami formed from a colony of countless Oracle Cells. These Cells gathered around a specialized structure called Core, which act like a command center..."

...

...

...

It was boring as hell.

I didn't know how my sister survived in Dr. Sakaki's lecture without even yawning. He taught them basic theory of Oracle Cells, which I'd learned few years ago, for an hour straight. Thankfully his torture ended abruptly because he was needed in his lab. All of them except my sister left Dr. Sakaki's room and heading to elevator.

Predictably my door opened and my sister stood in front of it.

"Afternoon sis."

"Afternoon." She made a cup of milk tea and coffee for both of us. "So, did Lindow asked for your help?"

"He did. What do you say about her?"

"She's cheeky and arrogant. Tsubaki said that her score almost as high as mine in simulation, that's probably the source of her arrogance." She put both cup on table and sat in front of me.

"Ah, superiority complex, one of the few things that I can't tolerate. Lindow said about she's being unstable, any sign of that?"

"Now if I think about it she reflexively flinched when Lindow grab her shoulder this morning. Strange... she did fine when I tapped her shoulder after that."

"I see. We must tell Lindow about this." I took a sip of coffee that she gave me.

My sister nodded in agreement. "Say, can you help me? I want to hunt some Gboro-Gboro for my God Arc, Hibari said there're two of them in Sunken Grid." She stared expectantly at me with wide eyes.

Damn, when did she learned to make such dangerous puppy like expression? There was no way I could deny her request, especially after she melted my heart like this.

"I'll ask Dr. Sakaki first. Just tell me whenever you ready."

"Yeey, thank you sis. Oh yeah it's time for my lunch. I'll tell Lindow after this." She beamed at me for a while before finally left my room.

Seeing her cheerful face brought warmth to my heart. She was my last family member I had and we've gone through many hardships together. I would try my best to keep her safe.

"Come with me Rena, I need to do few test on you." Dr. Sakaki surprised me, he already stood on the door leading to training room.

 _'Focus Rena. You have sensitive senses yet a normal person caught you off guard, what a miserable sight.'_

'I thought I might got a day free of your annoying noise, but that's just impossible.'

"I need to ask you something first doc..."

* * *

It was a good bargain. He gave me permission to use helicopter and his private pilot in return for few vials of blood and full body X-ray scan as research material. How rich he was actually? He even had a private helipad, but then again, he was a head scientist in Far East Branch so his pocket probably fully loaded.

"Okay where's that walking fish we're supposed to hunt?"

Both of us stood on a ledge near Sunken Grid. Just like what I learned, this place was a power plant that long ago supplied electricity to nearby city. Now it nothing more than flora infested ruins.

"According to Hibari it should be... there, and there!" My sister pointing her short blade God Arc at each corner of Sunken Grid.

It was a finned Aragami with cannon on its nose. Both of them wandering around in different side of Sunken Grid.

"Got it. Wait here sis, I'll take care of the rest." I jumped down from the ledge. Unexpectedly another thud came from behind me. Oh great, she followed me down.

"Sis? I've told you I'll take care of it."

"No, this is my job, we'll do this together." She sternly stared at me.

"No way. You might get wounded in this mission. Stay back sis."

"I can say the same. You might be stronger than God Eater but you're not invincible."

"I'm different. I can regenerate any wound, unlike you sis." I snapped back at her.

"Oh yeah? My score in Aragami simulation is not a decoration you know?"

I gave up. There was no way I could change her mind and I definitely didn't want to make her disappointed. "Fine... just promise me that you'll be careful alright?"

"I promise." She smiled at me.

If I think about it, our fighting style was radically different. She relied on speed, her short blade and buckler was a solid proof to that. I'm on the other hand relied on raw power. I'm not as nimble as my sister but every blow I delivered always fatal to lesser Aragami and highly damaging on larger one.

We both charging at Gboro-Gboro head on. My sister aimed at its fins while I swung my blade at its head. My blade was ineffective, its cannon merely scratched a bit. A bright idea entered my mind. If I couldn't cut it, I would crush it instead. I tossed away my blade, moment later a pair of thick white carapace like gauntlets formed on my arms. I smirked madly at the fish like Aragami while cracking my armored knuckles. This way I could grind it to a meatball without injuring my own arms.

I renewed my charge and jumped at its head. My gauntlet crashing down on its cannon and shattered it. The Gboro-Gboro immediately enraged and charging right at me, conveniently disregarding my sister that slashed its fins. It leaped at me with mouth wide open. I drove my fist forward and smashing its teeth. It reeled back a bit before rampaging around and shot its stubby cannon at random direction.

Both of us jumping back just in time. I created few spikes and let it flew right at its face. My sister swapped her God Arc blade with multi barreled assault gun. She hails down Gboro-Gboro with molten Oracle bullets. It wiggled around, desperately tried to extinguish the molten bullet before slowly stopped moving, permanently. I delivered a straight punch and tore away its Core. My sister used her Predator mode and took few materials for her God Arc.

Alright, one down, one more to go. Where did that other fish hiding now? A sound of something wet splashed on ground far away behind us. There, our last target was standing on an elevated platform with its back fin raised. Nope, I'm out of its firing range. Wait a minute, it aimed its cannon at... My sister?

"Run awa-"

"Aaaahh"

"RINA?!"

My sister thrown aside. She took a harsh water cannon and landed near me. The missing Gboro-Gboro now stood still from distance, as if it was mocking me. I dashed to my sister side.

She was mostly unharmed. That cannon merely grazed and knocked her out, what a relief. That damn pathetic fish... it dared to attack my sister... There gonna be hell to pay.

It charging right at me. Too late, I had finished changing. I swatted it aside with my clawed hand. It flew to my right and crashed into power plant wall. Most of its face now cracked and heavily bleeding. I pounced on its back and pinning it down.

" **This...** " I snapped its cannon. " **Is...** " I crushed its back fin. " **Payback...** " Its left fin now nothing more than a stump. " **For...** " Its right fin lay few meters away from it. " **Rina...** " Its tail fin now as flat as paper. " **Now... Die!** " My right leg stomping its torso over and over again.

"Stop it, I beg you, please come back..." Tiny arms wrapped around my left leg.

I looked down and found two wet brown orbs staring back at me. My sister, her tears quelled my rage. What the hell did I do? I relased my Aragami form immediately.

"Sorry sis I- eeeh?" I fell on my back in a pool of Aragami blood. Sweet metallic scent of blood impregnate air around us. Very familiar sobs came from my chest. This position again... "Sorry sis, I went overboard a wee bit " I smiled sheepishly at her.

"A wee bit? You went berserk on that Aragami! Look what you did to it." She pointed her finger at Gboro-Gboro corpse.

The only thing that could be identified was its head, the rest of it reduced to a mass of red and purple paste. Damn, I really went too far. "Okay okay, I went overboard... a little."

"A little?! I thought I was losing you for good this time! Stupid sis..." She kept crying on my chest, completely ignoring the fact that both of us painted in crimson red from Aragami blood.

* * *

It took a good few minutes to calmed her down. Thankfully she got enough materials for her God Arc despite the fact that I literally pulverized one of it. On our way back she clung to my arm tightly, not that I mind it but why? Did she afraid that I would lose myself? My rage was not a result from my condition, anyone would retaliate with fury if their family members threatened.

Eventually, she let go my arm when we reached Dr. Sakaki's helipad. We came in one by one to avoid suspicion, I'm disguising as her so it was a no-no for us to walking together.

My hard work this day rewarded with a bathtub full of warm bath. My bloodied uniform now lies on the floor and I squeezed a soap bottle over my tub. A strong scent emerging from it. Lavender? Not my favorite, oh well, I got this for free anyway. I washed away any blood that stuck to my body in a separated shower. Slowly I sat in the tub after made sure that nothing remained on me. My muscles relaxed, nothing could beat a tub of warm bath, definitely not that pitiful lava pool.

"The composition of our air remains at it always was. 79% nitrogen. 21% oxygen."

Oh man, that Dr. Sakaki began his torture session again. I felt sorry for you sis.

'Oy Rei, this is what I meant with a warm bath, not lava lake you forced me into.'

 _'It has the same function to me. I don't get it, why you pour bubbly stuff that human call soap into your tub?'_

'Usually it for cleaning myself but you gonna say that's a waste, so I say it's out of habit.' I smirked mentality at him.

 _'Smartass'_

I laughed at his replied. What an unexpected turn out. I felt anger on first time we met. He selfishly took away my humanity, unintentionally but still... Then he taught me how to adapting to my new body. Honestly, I didn't think I could make it. I probably lost in the wild, or became feral at worst if not for his help. I hate to admit but he had grown on me. He was a close friend, an annoying, loud, naive, yet kind and caring friend.

"Zzzz...No. mom. earmuffs don't go on the cookie... Zzzz"

One of Dr. Sakaki's student had fallen, two more remained. How the heck that my sister survived his onslaught? My hand grabbed a towel and left my tub, it became cold after quite some time. I left my bathroom and heading to kitchen for a cup of tea.

"Tell me, have either of you heard the term. 'Nova's Devouring Apocalypse'?"

Nova what? Something like end of the world?

'What is he talking about?'

 _I_ _t's the end of a cycle on this world. Devouring Apocalypse is both the beginning and the end of everything. Once initiated it will consume this world and redistribute everything, sending the entire world back to its original form. Sort of master reset button in human term.'_

'You seem like awfully knowledgeable about this.'

 _'It has a connection with me and my past. Before you ask, No, I don't want to talk about it.'_

There, his sadness leaking out again. It was useless, I couldn't do anything for him if he didn't want my help.

"Dog are intelligent. They cannot speak, but they have a natural form of communication with other species. If an Aragami were to take on these sort of quantities, would that Aragami then be able to co-exist with us?"

Now he was talking about dog. What did he said was true though, Rei was a proof to that. Too bad he didn't have his own body.

"Now I want to show you something important. You must promise that you will not tell anyone about this. If this is too much for you feel free to leave this room."

"I promise doc." The young boy replied.

"You have my word." Alisa also agreed to him.

"Wonderful, please come out Rena."

What the hell? When he said something important he meant me? "Are you serious about this doc?"

"Yes. Come out now." Dr. Sakaki knocked my door.

"Fine, let's get this over with." I left my still untouched tea on my table and opened the door.

"Rena Asari, nice to meet ya." I raised my hand at them.

"Hello sis." My sister waved back at me.

They stared at me in silence. One... Two... Three...

"WHAAAAT?!" Both of them exclaimed.

"I will hold you responsible for this." I glared at Dr. Sakaki.

"How? I never heard a sentient Aragami like this." Alisa's tone filled with disbelief.

"Sister? As sister in sibling? Are you an Aragami too Rina?" The yellow capped boy snapped his head toward my sister.

"No, she isn't. I'm not Aragami by birth. I was infected during compatibility test and before I know it I become like this."

"Whoaaa, this is the first time I see a survivor from Aragami infection. I'm Kota Fujiki."

Kota huh? Both he and Romeo was noisy. I turned my head at Alisa. Nothing wrong with her at first glance, but the way her muscle tensed as our eyes met, her increased heartbeat, her subtle labored breath, it obvious that she was afraid of me. Am I really that scary? Nahh, Kota merely got elevated heartbeat for a moment when I entered this room.

"I'm going back to my room doc."

"Hold on Rena, our veteran engineer, Licca, need your help."

"Me? How? I haven't even met her before." I raised my eyebrow at him.

"She asked for Rina's help at first, she was okay with you after I told her about you."

"What? Don't just go around and tell people about me doc."

"She is working on a project that will raise all God Eaters survivability on the field. An important project no doubt, that's why I ask you to help her."

A project to increasing God Eaters likelihood to survived a mission? Of course I would do that, Rina and Lindow safety was my first priority. I would gladly throw my cover away if it would help them. "Where should I meet her?"

"God Arc storage facility, three floor below us."

I put on my hood and sunglasses. "Okay I'm off."

* * *

Umm... did I misread the direction sign? Didn't think so, but why I'm in a junkyard instead? This room barely resembled a storage facility. Broken God Arc lying around me like a pile of garbage. Some God Arc even missing part of it, New-Type God Arc without its shield, Old-Type sniper with missing handle, and so on. The stench of oil and rust thickened as I move forward.

A footstep came from other side of this room, I'm not alone in here. "Hello? Anybody home?"

"Yes, come in." A voice belonged to a girl answered my question.

It was a young girl with silver hair and red goggles cladded in Fenrir maintenance crew green jumpsuit and a sports bra. She dragged a broken God Arc from one pile to another.

"Do you know where I can find Licca?" I moved closer to the girl.

"That's me. So you're the one that Dr. Sakaki mentioned. I'm Licca Kusunoki, nice to meet you." She offered me a handshake.

"I believe Dr. Sakaki have informed you about my condition?" I took her offer.

"Yes, you're a survivor from Aragami Infection. Sorry about the mess, there's a massive abandoned God Arc storage relocation. This place being used as a temporary storage until we can move it to its proper place."

That explained a lot. "Abandoned God Arc?"

"A term for unusable God Arc. Broken beyond repair, losing its user, no compatible match, and so on"

"Okay... what would you do with it?"

"Any working part will be used to strengthening existing God Arc, their Core will be used in new God Arc creation."

That means they wasted nothing, smart move. Magnolia never taught me about upgrading God Arc like this. A new technique perhaps. "Okay, now back to business, what do you need?"

"Come with me, I'll show you my project." Licca walked away with me in her trail.

We arrived in a different room. This place was smaller, yet much neater than before. There was only a single strange-looking human-sized rectangular metal framed machine and similar palm-sized machine on a table.

"This is a model of Link Support Device." She tapped the larger machine. "This thing can give many kinds of benefit to entire team. It can Increase muscle strength, erect a single use Oracle barrier, weaken Aragami strength, strike them with paralysis, and much more. Assuming we can finish this project of course."

"Wow... I'm impressed. Alright I'm in, what do you need?" Dr. Sakaki was right, this would surely help everyone. Glad I'm agreed to his request.

"How much do you know about engineering?" Licca put back the device and took a clipboard from nearby table.

"I've completed my engineering class along with intensive engineering extra courses. So... as much as intermediate engineer perhaps?"

"Great, read this." She gave me her clipboard.

It was a schematic for Link Support Device. Holy... It took a tremendous amount of materials for such device. Its base circuit alone took few dozens of assorted Aragami at least. Why this device had four slots for God Arc? This circuit leading to God Arc, that means... genius...

"This Link Support Device utilize the uniqueness in each God Arc Core to send out different effect." I returned her clipboard.

"Correct, there's a drawback to it. Naturally, the God Arc owner can't partake any mission until their God Arc returned."

"And what's that thing?" I pointed my finger at smaller box on the table.

"A failed side project. I was planning to use that as a replacement for God Arc, which is impossible for now. Maybe I'll try it again after this Link Support Device finished." Licca sighed.

"That means you want me to collect all necessary materials. Kay I can do that, give me the list."

"Dr. Sakaki asked me to give this to you." Licca gave me a headset along with a piece of paper. "A heavy-duty Oracle infused headset. It's modified to bypass operator. You can directly contact me, Dr. Sakaki, or anyone near you."

"That's nice, thanks Licca." I put both of it in my pocket. "Anything else?"

"Can you help me sort these abandoned God Arc? There're few pairs of Oracle resistant gloves in that locker."

 _'No need to wear it. Poor artificial Aragami like that is harmless to us, if anything, we can use it as emergency ration.'_

Well that convenient, I didn't have to wear those oversized gloves. I stopped at nearby pile of mixed broken God Arc. It was as high as my chest. Okay, this gonna be a pain in the ass.


	7. Aragami in Conspiracy

The door to God Arc storage facility opened for I didn't know how many times. Since this morning I helped Licca sorting out these abandoned God Arc and moved it to their new storage room. My immense strength allowed me to drag entire container alone, which normally took a forklift at least.

Now this what I called a God Arc storage facility, multiple active God Arc lined neatly in their own protective casing on the wall, no random parts lie around, no broken God Arc in sight. Air around me considerably cleaner than before. Rust smell that tainted this place had long gone, only oil like scent remained.

"Yo Licca, it's done. How bout you?"

"Almost done with basic circuit model, this is all thanks to you. Try to take it easy Rena, you've gathered everything in the list last night, now you cleaned out entire room alone, without any equipment no less." Licca put her soldering iron down and stared at me.

"I need no rest. I can keep doing this all day without getting tired. A handy side effect don't you think?"

"One more thing. I got a report that Anti-Aragami wall on east side of the Den has been damaged. Not much, but better fix it as soon as possible. There's one thing that bothering me. They said the cracks in Anti-Aragami wall resemble a hand, as if someone jams their fingers in it." Licca tapped her chin and thinking for a while.

 _'Yes, the culprit is here, right in front your face.'_

'Shaddap!'

"It should be impossible, no one has enough physical power for such feat, not even a God Eater. Wait... You have something to do with it don't you?" Licca narrowed her eyes on me.

 _'Bingo! She's the one that broke your wall.'_

'Oy, it's your idea idiot.'

"Um... no?" Nope, there was no way I could fool her with my half-hearted tone.

"You and your sister are bad at lying you know?" Licca released a long sigh. "I'll let it slide this time, don't do that again. Fixing Anti-Aragami wall is hard, it become harder when the said wall is a hundred meters high."

"Sorry, I did that when I escaped from this place. That settles it, I'll help your team fixing that wall."

"You don't have to. Take a rest, let the maintenance crew do their job." She gave me disapproval shook.

"Nope, it was my fault to begin with, I'm going whether you like it or not."

"Too late, they already working as we speak. They'll have finished their job by the time you arrived."

"Tch, fine, just call me if you need anything."

Nothing left to do here so I'm heading back to my room.

I stopped in front of Dr. Sakaki's room. Dr. Sakaki stayed in his office as usual, wait, there was another person. This scent... Lindow?

"Hey doc, and Lindow, what're you doing here?" I opened the door and greeted them.

"What? I can't come and visit you?" He raised his hand and greeted me.

"Of course you can! It just unusual you know... anyway, come, I'll prepare a beer for you."

We both sat on sofa in my room. Lindow drank his beer while I sipped my tea. Strange, my tea was quite bland... I did put less sugar in it? Whatever.

"So Lindow, how's my sister now?"

"Even better than before. She trained much harder after your rampage. Now she's the first recruit that capable to take down a Vajra alone in simulation. I won't be surprised if she surpasses us, veterans, in a year or two." Lindow lit up his cigarette, a trail of smoke seeping from his lips.

"Silly sis, she blamed herself for my rage. How about you Lindow?"

"Same old, same old. Go and kill something, go back and have a date with Sakuya, repeat and rinse. Not complaining though, she's a nice girl."

"You really love her don't you? Don't forget to invite me." I smiled at him. Soon we would have either mini Lindow or mini Sakuya running around.

"Of course, I wouldn't engage to her If I didn't. Don't worry, you, Rina, and whole First Unit will get first row seat." Lindow emptied his beer can and threw it away. "Time's up, must go now."

"So soon?"

"Yep, got a mission to do in City of Mercy. Oh well, I'll try to visit you again next time." Lindow stood up and took something from his pocket. "Here, hold this for me okay?"

He gave me... A data disk? "What's this?"

"My little side project. I'll pick it up later, see ya." Lindow left my room.

I took another sip from my tea. Yep, definitely more bland than usual. Someone knocked Dr. Sakaki's door just as I about to read my maintenance manual. This vanilla scent... oh Rina, better made some milk tea then.

"Morning sis." She opened my door and sat on sofa.

"Morning. Tell me..." I put her milk tea on the table. "Why did you push yourself like that? What happened in Sunken Grid is not your fault."

"Lindow told you didn't he? It's my fault, I was-"

"No, it wasn't. No one could hear that fish, it was too far." I interrupted her. "Look, I'm proud that you can defeat a Vajra alone, but overdoing it will only bring harm to yourself."

"I'm sorry..." She looked at the floor.

"It's okay, just know your limit." I released a sigh. It useless, I couldn't get angry at her, not for long.

"Um... sis? I got this for you." She put a box filled with assorted Aragami Core on table.

"Thank you." I took one of it. An Ogretail Core, but it had few streaks of white line on it surface. "Is this Ogretail Core? Different from the usual."

"A Fallen Ogretail. Dr. Sakaki said it's a normal Ogretail that adapted to cold environment." She nipped her milk tea. "Your tea is good as always sis."

Another person knocked Dr. Sakaki's door. A pine like scent mixed with tinge of cigarette, yep, definitely Sakuya. I strode across my room and opened the door. "Hey Sakuya, come in."

Sakuya sat beside my sister. "First, I'm sorry, I aimed my God Arc at you."

"Nahh I don't mind. I'll do the same if our roles was reversed, it was half month ago anyway." I waved at her in dismissal.

"Thank you. How did you know I'm in Dr. Sakaki's office?"

"Your scent. You got a pine like fragrance mixed with Lindow's scent all over you." Huh? It was me or her cheek reddened?

"Don't say that, It might cause misunderstanding." Sakuya's cheek brighten up significantly.

"I don't get it." My sister tilted her head.

"Neither do I sis."

 _'Hahahahaha ooh that's gold. Another scenery to be added to my vault.'_

'What the hell? Explain it Rei!'

 _'The way you wording it almost like you accusing her mating with Lindow.'_

"Shit..." My cheeks warmed up. Damn that idiot, he explained it bluntly on purpose.

"Um... Why are you blushing too?" My sister stared at me with innocence written on his face.

 _'Hahahaha keep this up, you're the best Rena.'_

'Shut up you idiot!'

"I don't get it, explain it please..." My sister whined.

"It's better if you don't know it." Damn Rei and his tactlessness.

"Anyway, I'm here to pick you up Rina. We got an extermination mission, a Vajra in City of Mercy." Sakuya regained her composure, still blushing a little though.

"Awww but I just arrived here."

"It's fine, you can visit me again after this, not like I'm going anywhere. Besides, you'll be back in no time considering both Sakuya and Lindow helping you this time." I drank all my bland tea.

"Lindow? He's not with us, director gave him special assignment along with Alisa." Sakuya raised her eyebrow at me.

Eh? Something was wrong. Two teams in one area was a rare occasion. It happened only on unforeseen event such as Aragami ambush or in highly infested area. Did they messed up the order? It shouldn't be. Far East Branch had limited God Eaters so they maintained a strict control over God Eaters deployment.

"I'm going sis."

"See you later Rena."

* * *

"963 Sheep jumping over a fence... 964 Sheep jumping over a fence... 965 Sheep jumping over a fence... 966 Sheep ju-"

 _'Oy what the hell are you doing?'_

'Counting imaginary sheep. They said this is the best way to induce sleep, a complete bullshit.'

 _'Idiot. I've told you, we don't and can't rest.'_

Well, he was right, but curiosity won over me. Kinda waste to let my new bed untouched for five days straight, so I tried to sleep. Nothing could send me to dreamland, not even a thousand sheep over a fence thing. Of course it wouldn't work on me, it was a trick for human.

I flipped to my side, soft fabric brushed against my skin. What a waste, a high quality bed given to someone who couldn't sleep. It took almost an hour to count that thousand sheep and I got nothing in return. Maybe I should check on Licca rather than squander my time like this, she might had another list of Aragami part.

Slowly I crawled to the edge of my bed and headed straight to bathroom. A warm bath before a mission wouldn't hurt. Stream of lavender scented hot water filled my tub. I Absent-mindedly scrubbed my body with a sponge while my mind wandering off. An hour already passed since my sister left me, she would return soon. If I think about it, I never made anything other than milk tea for her. Should I made some? I'm not the best cook around, but surely I could bake some cookies without turned it into a charcoal.

I put my signature black and white hooded Fenrir uniform after dried myself and opened kitchen cabinets. It filled with cereals, pudding powder, and juice. Now where that flour and chocolate block?

An elevator stopped on this floor. Normally I paid no mind to such thing but the owner of this footstep seemed to be in hurry and run straight to Dr. Sakaki's office, no, it was right to my room. The said person rammed my door and hastily opened it.

It was my sister. Rina stood on my doorstep with ragged breath. She her hair disheveled and sweat dripped from her forehead. Something sweet emanated from her, this metallic scent... blood?

"Damn it, you're wounded, go to infirmary now."

A trail of red liquid steamed from gash on her stomach. Her green Fenrir uniform now soaked in her own blood. I picked her up and ran to infirmary near Dr. Sakaki's office. The infirmary door shattered to pieces when my boot crashed into it.

"Put me down, you must save Lindow. He trapped in ruined church with unknown Vajra in the center of City of Mercy."

"WHAT! What about you?"

"Just go! I'll be fine, I'm a medic remember?"

Rina wobbled toward medical cabinet and took few tools from it. Slowly she rests on clinic bed and began mending her wound.

I ran back to Dr. Sakaki's office and rammed his door. He sat there, behind his computer as usual. He stopped typing and stared at me.

"What happened to Rina?"

"No time to explain, I need your chopper and call any available doctor, NOW!"

* * *

The dusty ground beneath me cracked. A harsh landing from hundreds meter high helicopter tend to broke anything I stepped on. I didn't wait for chopper to descending, its side door flew away the moment I reached City of Mercy. This is a rescue mission, every seconds could make a difference between finding him or his body. Still, I had to apologize to Dr. Sakaki for busting his helicopter door.

Nothing but small fry wandered around City of Mercy. No sign of Lindow or new Vajra that Rina mentioned. All I got was odd-looking yellow Ogretail with decorated head. It fell after a single hit, just like other small fry, but It was the toughest small fry I faced this far. Its body still intact even though I crushed it with full strength.

The area around ruined church was eerily quiet, no Aragami, no sound of battle, only scent of blood remained. Fear struck deep into me. Am I too late? The only path leading to inner church clogged with rubble so I took a detour. I entered the church using a hole near its roof. Ironic, this hole used only by Aragami, a normal God Eater couldn't jump high enough. Now, I could use it as I pleased, what a twisted joke.

A white Vajra laid down in a pool of Aragami blood. This must be the unknown Vajra. It had disgustingly feminine face, almost like a woman. Its body covered in whitish fur and its cape was blue instead of orange. Scent of two different blood hanging in the air, the usual Aragami blood and human blood. No... I jumped down and landed on something hard.

It was Lindow's God Arc. I picked it up and searched my surrounding.

I couldn't find Lindow. Damn it, he was wounded, unarmed, and lost. I checked at the ceiling near blocked path. It riddled with bullet hole and soot, definitely an assault gun God Arc filled with blaze Oracle bullet. That means... a sabotage? Fury boiled in me. Whoever did this will beg for death after I finished with them. "Come in Licca. Send a retrieval team to ruined church in City of Mercy, tell them to bring some breaching explosives as well."

"Understood." Licca closed her radio.

 _'Calm yourself Rena. Sharpen your senses, we might find some clue about this.'_

Useless. My rage run far too deep. All I could do is restrained myself from destroying every Aragami around me. I jumped through the hole and landed outside. Something bumped my foot as I took my first step. A white colored metal cylindrical container, like a flash grenade that God Eater normally used. Alluring scent mixed with cigarettes emerged from its hole.

 _'It's a bait, a man-made weapon to attract Aragami.'_

'You certainly know many things about God Eater.'

 _'I'd encounter one of it before. Quite devious weapon if you ask me.'_

A bait? I see. Lindow was assaulted. One person trapped him while the other one released this bait. I took a sniff at the cigarette scent and memorized it. Whoever had this scent would soon know the true meaning of pain.

I wandered around, searching for clues about Lindow. This was one of the few occasions that I'm grateful being an Aragami. Limitless energy coupled with inability to feel sore really helped a lot in sweeping through this area. My sweeping stopped when I sensed something that might lead me to Lindow. A trace of human blood drifting in the air, it came from southwest of this place.

Occasionally, I stopped in my track and sniffing air around me before continuing, like a dog. I don't care if I acted like one, I would do that in a heartbeat if it could bring me closer in tracking down Lindow.

"Doc? Are you there?"

[Yes, what is it Rena?] Dr. Sakaki's voice came from my headset.

"I won't return anytime soon, I'm still tracking Lindow. How's Rina doing?"

[She's sleeping now. It's a superficial wound, few stitches and restful days will fix her in no time.]

"Good, I leave her in your care doc."

The sky darkened and snowflakes began to fall. I found another clue when I reached snowy forest northside of Temple Area, footprints. It was a teenager considering the diminutive size of the said footprints. Something didn't add up, teenager in the middle of snowy forest? Aragami would kill him or her, if not, the harsh weather would.

Another perk of being an Aragami is immunity against bad weather, I kept pushing forward despite being caught in a large blizzard. Snow and freezing wind didn't bother me, it felt like cool wind on my skin. The scent of blood and footprints had long gone, dispersed by harsh weather. All I could do was to keep moving onward to the center of Temple Area, Tranquil Temple.

I would become a frozen corpse had I been a human. By the time I arrived in Tranquil Temple my entire body covered in snow, much like a human sized snowman. I shook my body and wiped the melting snow off. Trail of cold water dripping from my cloth. It seems I had lost some of my senses, I could still feel cold but not how cold it is. Frozen snow and gentle breeze felt the same, just like how lava and tub of warm water felt to me.

The trail had gone cold, I've completely lost Lindow, where the hell did he go? Mild snowfall constantly blanketing this place, much like eternal drizzle in Wailing Plains. This troublesome snowfall had absorbed any lingering scents, effectively stopped me from sniffing out the blood. Without any clue, I roamed around aimlessly until I found something.

It was another strange female Vajra.

Not exactly what I looking for, but I could use some target practice for venting out my rage. I charged at it with gauntlets in my arms. It jumped at me, way faster than I calculated. Instinctively, I swatted it aside and launched it into an abandoned house. Huh? It was lighter than it look. I didn't even use my Aragami form, yet it flew like a ragdoll. The Vajra created a large ice spike and threw it at my head.

My spike clashed and shattered its ice spike before struck its shoulder. I took my chances while its recoiled and mounting its back. Let see how tough this wings. I grabbed its wing base and tore it away. The strange Vajra began trashing around, tried to dismount me. Its trashing grew harder with each wing I tore, and it went enraged immediately right after I tore the last wing. Nope, it couldn't touch me, I was on its back, far from its fangs and claws. I replaced my right gauntlet with a blade and began gouging its back.

Blood, Oracle Cells, Aragami flesh, everything was scattered around. My blade carved a large hole on its back, deep enough to reached its Core. The beast fell down as soon as I tore it away. I jumped down from its back and examined my surrounding. What a mess, snow around me painted in red, including myself. Now, what should I do with this carcass?

I swallowed its core and stripped down its body. Anything useful to a God Eater such as its claw, wing, or fangs would make a good gift for Rina, the rest of it for Dr. Sakaki. If I think about it, this strange Vajra was quite weak, definitely uncommon. Rule of thumb dictated that a mutant is always stronger than the regular one, so why did a normal Vajra gave more challenge than this?

'Is it me or this Vajra is weaker than usual? '

 _'No, you're the one that grow stronger. We become stronger with each devour, and that cat affinity with ice only worsen its situation.'_

'Ice? Why its affinity have anything to do with this?'

 _'Remember the first day you use your Aragami form? I said that you have fire and ice type Oracle Cells. Here's a hint, these elemental Oracle Cells act as both your armor and weapon.'_

I kept walking around aimlessly. Sadly, all trace of footprints and blood had completely gone, even the one that lead me to this place. Damn my luck, I might got some leads if that cursed blizzard didn't hit this place. Half-heartedly, I reached out my headset and pushed a button.

"Doc? I've lost him. Send the extraction chopper, I'll be waiting at Tranquil Temple."

* * *

Depression, that what the entire Den felt. No need for my extremely sharp senses, normal people could immediately noticed how quiet the Den lobby was. People muttered something like Reaper or Death God as I passed by. What was that? A title?

When I got back to Dr. Sakaki's office, my sister was already there, waiting patiently for me. The hell? Not even a day and she already moving around?

"I don't think walking around with stitches in your stomach is a good idea sis."

"I know, but I must tell you something, promise me you'll hear me out until I finished my story."

"No, your story will have to wait." I grabbed her hand.

A bright flash entered my vision.

My sight slowly returned. So, once again, I entered her memories. My sister was standing near entrance to the ruined church, guarding it along with Sakuya, Soma, and Kota.

A loud roar echoed from inside the church and took everyone's attention. She checked at her surrounding, no Aragami spotted.

"I'm going in." My sister rushed and entered the church, ignoring Sakuya's order.

Alisa was standing there, she did nothing except aiming her assault barrel. My sister ran past her and saw Lindow fought the female Vajra from before.

My sister ran into the Vajra and slashed its head. She dodged a swipe and landed near Lindow. Lindow dashed to its side and made a long gash on its torso. It swung its paw at my sister in retaliation. She jumped at its side, that was when she saw that Alisa aiming her God Arc at Lindow.

"Odin... Dva... Tri..."

Alisa's voice broke my sister's concentration. A moment of distraction is lethal in battle. Rina took a direct blow from the Vajra and flew away. My sister collided with Alisa and threw her aim off, but not before set off a shot. The ceiling collapsed and clogged the entryway with rubble.

The scenery shimmered, slowly changing form.

My sister rest on infirmary bed while stitching her wound. Ah, this was what she did after I left, she had enough skill to fixed her own wound.

"Who break this door? Nevermind, prepare to move her into the bed."

Few Fenrir doctor pushed a stretcher and put it beside an empty bed in front of my sister. They released stretcher binding and moved Alisa into infirmary bed. All of them left except one.

"Dr. Sakaki asked me to check on you. Show me your wound."

My sister rolled her bandage. Three gashes on her stomach now neatly sutured. He examined it closely for a while.

"I see you have medical knowledge. Have you completed the cleaning procedures?"

"Cleaned out the wound, sterilized both tools and my wound, wrapped it. Yes, all done."

"Correct, my job is done, get well soon." He left infirmary along with others.

Slowly she walked and sat on a vacant chair near Alisa's bed. "Why did you do that Alisa?"

"There's no use talking to her when she's like this. The tranquilizer I have are very effective. She'll be unconscious for hours."

My sister snapped her head towards the sound. An old man with gray hair and eyes stood near entrance. He wore yellow bandana and glasses while smoking a cigarette. Great, smoking in infirmary, where did he got his degree?

"Perhaps, but still..." My sister touched Alisa's hand.

In that instant few images entered my sister. Alisa was an orphan, her parents killed by a Vajra with man face. She sought vengeance by becoming a God Eater. That didn't explain why she aims her God Arc at Lindow?

Everything glittered, crumbling into nothingness.

I opened my eyes, back in Dr. Sakaki's office again. Rage filled my heart. That Alisa, everything happened because of her. I would have a nice long chat with her, with a bit of interrogation perhaps. I stood up and began to walk away.

"Stop! Don't do that sis." My sister snatched my arm and dragged me back to the couch.

"The hell? Don't stop me. You know that she's responsible for this whole mess." I glared at her.

"Trust me on this. I don't sense any hostility in her. Arrogance perhaps, but not aggression."

"No, she harmed Lindow and she'll pay for it." I shook my head.

"Listen to me sis, I'm not asking you to forgive her, I want to uncover the truth. Whether you going to forgive her or not is up to you, but hold your judgment until we know the truth."

I let out a sigh. Never once I won a debate against my sister. She was right, a rash action brought nothing but trouble. "You're a big softie you know that? Fine, have it your way, don't expect me to forgive her though."

"A resonance is amazing don't you think? Thought and emotion traded in an instant."

Dr. Sakaki's voice caught my attention. "A resonance? What do you know about it?"

"Without a proper research, all I can say is it's a way to dive into someone's memories and emotion. I thought it happens only to New-Type, but your sister told me about her first resonance with you few days ago."

"Yep, what happen to our body while we both in resonance?" I crossed my arms and leaned on the couch.

"Nothing. Both of you abruptly stopped for exactly four seconds before you suddenly stand up."

"Got it. By the way, sorry I busted both your helicopter and infirmary door doc. At least I got a compensation for you." I ran to my training lab and picked an Oracle resistant box. I put the new Vajra remains in it before gave it to Dr. Sakaki. "Here, it's a part of the new Vajra that I found while ago."

"And this is for you sis." I took out few other materials and gave it to her. "New Vajra fangs, claws, wings, and few other itty bits that I don't know."

"Thank you..." She smiled at me. "You really need a bath sis. These dried Aragami blood make you even more intimidating than usual."

I looked down to my cloth. Most of it, especially my pants drenched in blood. Well, carving a fist sized hole in Aragami's back would ruin anyone's cloth. Still, she said I'm scary?

"That reminds me of Alisa. It seems Alisa is afraid of me. She tensed up when the first time we met. How intimidating I'm?"

"Um... truthfully? Very. You've changed sis. The way you walk, every gestures you make... It's graceful, yet inhuman. Not to mention this oppressive feeling..." My sister shuddered a little. Almost imperceptible, but still a shudder.

I frowned at her explanation. I absolutely didn't want to make her afraid of me. "Oppressive? How so?"

"I don't know, it feels like I'm standing next to an extremely dangerous Aragami. Ah, don't worry about it, I'm not afraid of you sis." She grabbed my hand in reassurance.

My fears evaporated. Empathy was one of her strong point, still, to think that she saw through my anxiety immediately...

"I might have an explanation for that." Dr. Sakaki's voice came from behind his computer. "All God Eaters can sense Oracle activity on various levels. A highly sensitive God Eater like Soma can even detect Aragami around him. In your case, Rena, your extremely dense Oracle field clashed with God Eaters senses and triggered a fight or flight like response."

"That's why normal people like you and Licca feels nothing from me." I nodded in understanding. "But why only Alisa?"

"Kota is Kota, he just too dull for that. Sakuya, Soma, and... Lindow... all of them are veterans. Chances are, they have accustomed to such feeling and shrugged it off." My sister's tone grew heavier the moment she said Lindow. It obvious that this mess took a toll on her, just like me.

"Alright, I'll go now."

I left them behind and took a shower. Something clattered on the floor the moment I took off my stained uniform. It was a disk that Lindow gave me this morning. I took a hasty shower and immediately returned to Dr. Sakaki's office after changed my cloth. Both Dr. Sakaki and my sister was still there, chatted with each other.

"Well, that's fast." My sister spoke to me.

"Yeah, Lindow gave me this, can you open it doc?" I handed over Lindow's disk.

"What's that?" My sister stood beside me.

We both watched Dr. Sakaki opened Lindow's disk using his computer. There was only a single file in it, a map about Aegis island and everything around.

"Isn't this stuff should be classified? Why Lindow have something like this?" My sister stared at me.

"Beats me. All I know is he gave it to me this morning, telling me to hold it for a while. Anyway, I'll keep it for now."

I took the disk and kept it in my drawer. Slowly I laid on my bed and gazed at my pure white ceiling. What kind of trouble Lindow gotten himself into? His missing body and trace of human blood from City of Mercy to Temple Area means he survived his assassination attempt. As long as he still out there, my search would continue until I found either him or his body.


	8. Aragami and Broken Recruit

Three days had passed since that incident. I spent my entire spare time searching for Lindow. From Wailing Plains down to Forgotten Carrier, yet I found nothing but Aragami. While they were useful for Link Support Device, they were not who I was looking for. Where did he go? Not even a scent or track left out there.

I put my soldering iron down and tapped Licca's shoulder. "Okay second circuit layer from central processor to God Arc port number 2 now in place. I'm gonna grab a can of drink or two, want some?"

Licca took off his goggles. "No, just bring me curry powder."

Curry powder? Ah, she wanted to cook curry for her lunch. "Okay, where can I get that?"

"Cafeteria. Tell the staff I need my usual package."

I put my glasses on and rode an elevator down to Den canteen few floors below. This was my second time visiting canteen, third if I counted my resonance with my sister. Unlike the last time, this place was barren, only few peoples stayed. A pink haired girl wearing sleeveless dark green Fenrir uniform, brown haired young man cladded in red jacket, and another silver haired young man in blue jacket.

I headed straight to the counter and greeted the staff. "I'm here for Licca's package."

"Wait a moment... Mutsumi, have you finished arranging the package?" The man shouted at the kitchen.

"Yes, just in time." A girl voice came out from kitchen behind the counter.

"Go ahead, it's on the table." He pointed his finger at kitchen door.

Smell of various ingredients and dishes lingered in the kitchen. I found the package he mentioned, a cardboard box wrapped neatly on kitchen table. A child with brown eyes and brown hair scrambled around, she rummages through toolbox and took out scissors and duct tape. She fastens the box few more times before gave it to me.

"Done, this is your package. Oh it's you miss cat eye." The young child bowed to me.

"Cat eye? Do I know you?" It felt like I knew her. Had I met her somewhere?

"Yes, you have cat like eyes, so I call you miss cat eye. It's me, you gave me and my brother money three weeks ago." She smiled at me.

So they noticed it! Oh well, it matters not. She was the one from before, her brother bumped my legs in Outer Ghetto.

"Ah I remember now, what're you doing here?"

"I want to become a chef one day, so I started with helping my uncle running this kitchen."

A chef huh, that might be what this Den needed. An experienced cook could add a variety to the menu. Perhaps it could mitigate the abysmally bland food in here.

"I'm sure you will become one. Sorry but I'm in a rush, got an errand to do."

I left her in a hurry. Poor Licca had been working non-stop since this morning, delivered her lunch in time was the least I could do. The elevator door rung as I punched a call button.

She still there, tinkering with half assembled Link Support Device. Licca was deeply immersed that she fails to notice me approaching. Should I surprised her? Nope, a bad idea. Licca would probably mad at me for messing her job.

"Licca~ Here's your order." I put the box on nearby table and reached for canned drink in my... empty pocket? Meh, I forgot my own drink.

"Thank you." She put her welding tools down and dug her package.

She took out a packet of curry powder, icebox, bottled water, and a mug. Why didn't I see any rice or cooking utensil? Licca poured the water into her mug and added few ice cubes. She stirred it for a while before adding... the curry powder?!

"What? I don't think curry goes well with ice cubes..." I stared at her mug. What kind of foul concoction she tries to make?

"Nonsense, this is my favorite drink. Try some, you'll like it in no time." Licca shook her head. She pours her curry over a cup and gave it to me.

I gulped at the sight of this abomination. What kind of forbidden experiment she had taken to created such monstrosity. Slowly, I took a peek at her face. Licca stared at me, eagerly waiting for me to drank it down.

"Here goes nothing." I downed the entire cup in single go.

I shuddered, hard. It was indescribable, beyond horrific. The thick spicy flavor mixed with coldness of ice cubes, creating unholy combination of literal iced curry. How the actual hell she could say that it was her favorite? I snatched her bottled water and drank the rest of it.

"It's nasty. I don't care if you like it, all I know is it's borderline poisonous for me." I wiped the rest of these dangerous iced curry from my mouth.

"Suit yourself. We're halfway done with this Link Support Device. Few more connections, circuit boards, two more God Arc ports, and we're ready to enter beta phase."

"Yep, in about a month at most." I nodded in agreement.

Genius was a fitting way to describe Licca. A young girl, no older than me, yet she bested most engineer in Far East Branch and became the head of maintenance crew. She taught me many tricks that didn't exist in maintenance manual, or any other books. I didn't think it possible to disassemble a God Arc without tools, or jury-rigged a damaged God Arc with abandoned God Arc until its suitable spare parts obtained.

"There you are, I've been looking for you." My sister stood near the door.

"What are you doing in here? Go back to your room. You might reopen your stitches if you keep moving around like this." I frowned at her.

"Already healed yesterday. Dr. Sakaki said my healing rate is higher than normal, in fact, almost as high as Soma. Look..." She rolled up her shirt.

Indeed, her wound had closed, only slight pale discoloration left on her stomach. "Good, what do you need sis?"

"Alisa has been discharged from infirmary this morning. She wanted to see you."

"What the hell did she want? Forget about apologizing, I won't forgive her."

"She's not at fault, she has been manipulated. Let's talk in your room." Rina reduced her voice down to murmur. No one could hear it except me.

"Licca? I'll take a rest for a while. Call me if you need anything."

She lifts her goggles and nodded at me.

On my way back, I heard some people whispered about Death God and Reaper again. What did they talking about? Surely not the mythical harbinger of death that written in fairy tales.

Back in my room, we sat facing each other while sipped our own preferred drinks.

"Yesterday I dived into Alisa's memories, or resonance according to Dr. Sakaki. I found out that she was... hypnotized by her caretaker. If certain conditions met, she would snap and think Lindow as the one that killed her parents."

"That explained everything. Does she know about this?" Everything started to fit together. This caretaker might be the one that set the bait.

"Apparently not. She told me her mind goes blank, and when she regained herself she already lay on the floor with me."

"So she's also a victim." What should I do? It would be unfair to blame her for these entire mess. On the other hand, she still the one that pulled the trigger, I couldn't forgive her for that.

"Yes, will you meet her?" Her tone carried a hidden hope in it. Rina wanted me to forgive her it seems. I wanted to forgive her but half of me still held a grudge.

I sighed. "What a fine mess. Do whatever you want."

Alisa was a wrecked ball of nervousness and timidness. She clutched her left arm tightly and looked at the floor while entering my room, didn't even dared to looked into my eyes. Gone was the arrogant recruit that I met few days ago, only small traumatic girl remained in her place. She meekly sat in front of us.

"Do you have any idea how precious Lindow to us?" My tone was steady and cold.

Alisa flinched. "Yes... Rina has told me. He saved both of you from Aragami, took care of you for two years before Fenrir sent you to Magnolia Compass orphanage."

"Correct, he's our savior and surrogate brother. You took away one of my family member, Alisa."

"But sis, she's n-"

I placed my index finger on Rina's lips. "Trust me okay?"

She nodded at me and returned to her seat.

"I hate... no... I loathe you Alisa. However, this morning Rina told me that you might be manipulated. She dived into your memories and found out that your caretaker was the culprit. He made you see Lindow as your parents killer."

"No... That's impossible, Dr. Oguruma is a kind doctor. He helped me th-"

"Odin... Dva... Tri..."

Alisa stopped talking and tensed immediately. She lost her focus as her eyes began to glaze.

"That phrase..." My sister gasped.

"Odin... Dva... Tri..." Alisa mimicked my words.

"Odin... Dva... Tri..." I repeated it once more.

Alisa leaped at me. She wrapped her hands around my neck, slowly tightening it. It didn't affect me, but it showed how vulnerable she was. Three words and she would turn against us, like this.

"Kill... Aragami..." Alisa muttered. She kept tightening her hold on my neck.

"Alisa! What're you doing? Snap it out!" My sister screamed. She was about to jumped at us, tried to separate us.

"Don't interfere, trust me on this sis."

With a grumble, she slowly backed down and opted to watch us from her seat.

She got strong grip for a God Eater. If I was a normal God Eater I would've choked to death few minutes ago. Rina watched us from sidelines worriedly. She wanted to help me, yet she also wanted to follow my request. The grip on my neck loosened. Alisa regained herself, her glazed eyes slowly returned to normal.

"Kill... Huh... What am I... AAAH!" She yelled and jumped back. Like a terrified child, Alisa curled up and cried on sofa.

Now I felt bad for triggered her on purpose, but it had to be done. It was the only way to checked out how she reacts upon heard these keywords, which undoubtedly lethal. I placed my hand on her shoulder. She winced and desperately tried to move away. All my angers drained, I didn't have the heart to blame her anymore. Alisa had lost her parents, manipulated, forced to attack Lindow, and now reduced to a sobbing mess.

"Listen up Alisa. You're at fault for attacking Lindow, although, I'm willing to give you a chance."

"A chance?"

"Yes, you harmed my family, it's only fitting that you must protect them in return. From now on, you'll guard my sister. Do whatever it takes to protect her, even if it'll cost your life."

Alisa stopped sobbing. She stared me for the first time since her breakdown. "I understand... I'll do it."

 _'A sly one aren't you? Taking advantage of vulnerable girl for your own gain.'_

'Call it safety measure. I'm not a fool Rei, Lindow's chance for survival decreased with each days. It'll be a miracle to find him alive after three days out there, let alone when wounded and weaponless. I'll do whatever it takes to ensure my last family well being, even if I have to exploit Alisa.'

"I have a request, could you please... maybe... teach me again how to fight? I don't want something like this ever happened again." Alisa meekly asked my sister.

"No, I won't allow it." I interrupted them.

"What? Why?" My sister shouted in protest.

"What do you think will happen if she turned on us after she become proficient in fighting? A dangerous scenario at best, or downright catastrophic at worst. No, we must break her hypnosis first."

"Any idea how to do that? Rina asked.

"I have one in mind."

* * *

"Odin... Dva... Tri..." Alisa muttered.

Couple of freeze Oracle bullet flew at my head. I crushed these bullets with my bare hands. Blaze and freeze Oracle could barely damage me.

"Tsk, still not enough. Again!" I shouted at them.

"Odin... Dva... Tri... " My sister whispered to Alisa.

"Odin... Dva... Tri... NOO!" Alisa pulled the trigger.

"Resist, fight it Alisa!" I backhanded the incoming freeze bullet. That stung a bit. "More!"

"Is this really necessary?" My sister looked at Alisa. She was panting and kneeled on the floor.

"Yes, the best way to overcome your fear and trauma is by confronting it. Brace yourself Alisa! Don't let these petty words influence your mind."

"I'll try..." Alisa stood up, wobbly aimed her God Arc at me.

"Odin... Dva... Tri..."

"Odin... Dva... No! Stop!" Alisa screamed.

"Odin... Dva... Tri..." My sister repeated the chant.

"Odin... AAAHH! A purple ball of Oracle bullet launched from her God Arc.

Large spark bullet?! I swatted it aside with my right hand. Okay, that seriously hurt, like slapped a concrete. Who told her to load a damn spark bullet? I had no resistance against it.

"Oy why the hell did you shot me with spark? I've told you it's either freeze or blaze."

"I'm sorry... I swear it was an accident." Alisa trembled on the floor.

I let out a sigh. A yell was enough to scared her. It almost unbelievable, a haughty God Eater turned into a meek girl in just three days. I checked my slightly throbbed right hand. The back side of my hand burnt a little and trail of blood leaked from it. My blood was red like human blood, but I knew it too well, it unmistakably Aragami blood. It had the same scent as those monsters blood, disgusting.

I picked an empty vial from cabinet and poured my blood in it. Not much, only a fraction of the vial filled before my bled stopped. How delightful Dr. Sakaki would be, it had been a while since I allowed him to take my blood.

Alisa had finally calmed down. Still trembled a bit, but at least she could stand properly. She began to show some improvement during our training. At first she would shoot me immediately after the chant finished and it took few minutes for her to regained herself. Slowly her recovery time shortened, and now she could successfully resist a single chant. She still shot me on second chant though.

"Are you okay sis?" My sister approached me. She held a bandage in her hand.

"No need for that, look." I showed her my healed hand. "Although I must admit, that spark bullet pack a punch in it."

"A normal God Eater would be writhe in pain, yet you slapped it like it was nothing. Why you volunteer yourself as target practice? We can use simulated Aragami you know?"

"I wanted to gauge my strength. Helping Alisa along the way is just a bonus. Come, let's do this one more time and call it a day."

My sister returned to Alisa, she kneeled beside her and gently held her shoulder. "Can you do it one more time?"

"I can... I think." Alisa stood up once more and aimed her God Arc at me. "I can do it... Okay I'm ready."

"Odin... Dva... Tri..."

"Odin... Dv... urghh..." Alisa held her head with her left hand. She tried to resist the influence as hard as she could.

"Odin... Dva... Tri..." My sister rechant the phrase.

"Odin... Dva... NOOO!" Alisa snaped. She pulled her God Arc trigger and slumped on the floor.

I smirked in satisfaction. Her shot missed. Alisa broke free from her trance and pulled her God Arc in the last moment. As result, her Oracle bullet landed well above my head. Finally, a true improvement.

"I did it... I didn't shoot you." Alisa slowly stood up. She quavered a lot, yet a glint of fulfillment flashed in her eyes.

"Technically, you still shot at me, but that's a detail. The important thing is you succeeded and didn't actually shoot me. Take a rest, Alisa, you've earned it."

My sister and Alisa sat on sofa while chatted with each other back in my room. I was preparing a milk tea for Rina, an orange juice for Alisa, and black coffee for myself. I also left a pot full of hot water on the stove.

 _'Why you're so insistent in breaking her hypnosis?'_

'Having no shield is better than a broken shield. It draws you into sense of security only to shatter at its crucial moment.'

 _'Understandable. So it's either a useful bodyguard or nothing at all.'_

I returned with three glasses of drinks on my tray. Alisa immediately went quiet and tensed as I sat in front of her. Obviously, she still afraid of me.

"No need to be so tense Alisa, I'm not mad at you." I crossed my legs and stared at her.

"I know... I don't know why but you make me feel uneasy."

"Get used to it. It's your instinct that recognize me as dangerous being." Slowly I sipped my coffee. "Which I am. I'm not a threat though."

It was bland, way tasteless than my tea yesterday. I used instant coffee bag, which contained exactly enough for a cup. Why did it tasted like I used it to fill a mug instead? No sense in drank a bland beverage so I dumped the rest of my coffee into kitchen sink.

"I'll return to God Arc storage facility. Licca might have a job for me. I left a pot on the stove in case you want another cup."

"Thanks, see you later." Rina waved at me.

The God Arc storage facility was unexpectedly empty. No sign of Licca, only some tools and half-assembled Link Support Device casing. I kept searching around until I found a letter near her empty mug on the table.

[Hey, Fenrir sent me to Valley of the Blue Ice along with 9th squad in two-day extermination mission. In the meantime I have another list of materials, it's under my mug. Thank you.]

Licca also act as field engineer, that surprising. Field engineer was among the most riskiest job. They suffered second highest mortality rate, directly behind God Eater. Unlike them, field engineer had no combat ability and would inevitably killed if they met Aragami. Even so, they had important roles in multi-day operation. Maintaining a communication line, fixing any damaged God Arc, checking God Eaters' armlet and bias level, perhaps even deploying Link Support Device once our project finished.

I could only hope that she would come back in one piece. Fenrir usually assigned a God Eater or two as escort, but it barely enough to kept stray Aragami at bay. I took her material list. Let's see... Chunk of Chi-You tendon, piece of Quadriga front armor, four spikes tip from Cocoon Maiden, and a Vajra volt generator. Okay, a Chi-You then.

* * *

Nothing but moss and Ogretails. I stood on top of ruined tower south of Wailing Plains. Dr. Sakaki told me two Chi-Yous detected around this area, yet only ruins, moss, Ogretails, Zygotes, and Cocoon Maidens in sight. I'd gathered its spikes of course, but that merely a bonus, not my primary target. Occasionally, dusty wind carried trace of Aragami blood brushed me. It was either Aragami fought each other or God Eater in mission, which I hoped not. I rather avoid unnecessary contact with other God Eater.

My search halted by a blue dot on the distance. It was my target, that blue bird scoured an empty ruins about two kilometers away from my position. I readied my spike. From my experience, my spike had a long reach, but two kilometers? Not so sure. Still, nothing wrong with tested it.

It bounced! My spike couldn't pierce that bird. It merely rubbed its head in annoyance. It was clear that my spikes inferior compared to sniper God Arc at this range. At least mine had more kick at close range. I landed below the tower and chased it immediately. That bird might ran away if I stayed for too long.

I hid behind a wall and crawled toward the noise. It still there. The bird scanned around its surrounding, searching for the owner of these spike. I created few more and threw it at Chi-You's head.

"Oy over here you bird brain!"

The Chi-You turn its head right when one of my spike about to hit. It recoiled few steps back with a loud crack. Trail of red liquid dripped from gash on its forehead. That bird brain literally thick-skulled. A direct hit from my spike merely cracked it a bit. The Chi-You angrily screeched at me. Pair of gauntlets formed on my arm, I was ready to took it charge head on. It soared into the air before... turned its back and flew away?

 _'Stop dozing off and chase that Aragami.'_

'Right.' Rei voice woke me from my daze.

I made a beeline at its trail. That Chi-You flew stupidly high, my spikes could barely reach it. It dodged another wave of my spikes. Damn, it quite nimble for such oversized bird. I need either larger, faster, or for more spike to hit it. Faster? Impossible. More spike? Took too long. Larger? Perhaps. I switched to my other form. I stopped chasing it and began concentrating. Two giant spear like ice grew on each of my hands.

 _'You got used to this, good. Go ahead, throw it.'_

'Of course.' I smirked at the bird and resumed my sprint.

Two giant ice spears flew at Chi-You. First spear grazed its leg, creating a vertical wound across its left leg. Second spear, however, went right at its right wing and split it in half. It plummeted down to the center of Tornado Valley, the Wailing Plains.

'It feels like I'm chasing a bird instead of Aragami. Why that Aragami run away?'

 _'A good comparison. In my prime, I used that kind of Aragami as both sustenance and target_ _practice. That Aragami knew it couldn't beat you, thus, it flee. Human call it self-preservation.'_

'In your prime?'

 _'I'll answer it later. Talking in battle is a crime.'_

The Chi-You earlier had back on its feet. It bared its teeth and snarled at me. I replied its snarl with a pair of ice spears. All I heard was one last guttural screech and a thud. My first spear had struck deep into its neck, almost beheading it.

Now only Quadriga and Vajra left on the list. Licca hadn't return yet, should I take a break? Or perhaps continuing her work on Link Support Device? A loud screech came from behind me. When I turned my back I was greeted with incoming Chi-You. Instinctively I grabbed its head and shove it down to the ground. This must be my lucky day, my second prey came to me by its own accord. Wait, this Aragami riddled with scars and bullet holes, that means...

"Don't!"

Rina's shout alarmed me. Instantly I turned my head toward her. All I got was a metal can that blew on my face.

Stun grenade?! That explosion robbed both my sight and hearing. I braced myself for incoming God Arc. Blinded and deafened was the worst thing that could happen in battlefield. Thankfully I was in my Aragami form, my armor plate would protect me until my senses returned.

The ringing in my head and the bright light that blinded me lessened. The first thing I saw was my sister, she was scolding Alisa. So Alisa was the one that threw stun grenade at my face. She thinks that I was normal Aragami, predictable. Oh yeah, I should extract the second bird's Core. I drove my clawed hand down to its chest. However, instead of Aragami flesh my hand stuck in the ground. What? That damn bird flew when I was stunned.

" **That's not nice Alisa, you make me lose my prey.** "

"I'm sorry, I didn't know it was you." Alisa avoided my gaze. She clutched her left arm and stared at ground beneath her.

I sighed. Rather than a sigh, it sounded like a growl. Alisa yelped and began to tremble.

"Hey, you're scaring her." My sister yelled at me.

" **My bad, tot** ally not my intention." I created my blade and began stripping down the first Chi-You. "What're you doing out here? Don't tell me you're teaching Alisa?"

"Yes, what about you?"

"I'm helping Licca with her project. Didn't we agreed that we should break her hypnosis first?"

"Yes, and she did. She didn't shoot you last time."

"Not enough, she still shot at me. We'll train her again after I'm done with Licca's request. Anyway, here, take this." I gave her all materials I gathered from stripping down Chi-You.

"What's the point in killing it if you give me all your materials?" My sister raised her eyebrow.

"Not all, this is what I need." I showed her Chi-You Core and chunk of its tendon. I pressed my headset and connect it to Dr. Sakaki. "Yo doc, I've finished my job. Send the chopper to the Wailing Plains."

"Woow, you have a private helicopter?" My sister spoke in awe.

"It's Dr. Sakaki's. I merely borrow it." I shrugged.

A helicopter approached us. It had black paint and no mark, Dr. Sakaki's private helicopter. I focused my senses, no more large or medium Aragami around us. Surely Rina was strong enough to took care the small fry around here.

"There, my transport is coming, I'll see you both back at the Den."

Back in the Den I Dropped Chi-You's tendon and Cocoon Maiden's spikes at specialized storage box in God Arc storage facility. I returned to my room and took a shower before lay down on my bed.

'Rei? Tell me about your previous life.'

 _'Why so sudden?'_

'We lived together for about three weeks, yet I still don't know much about you. Have you met another sentient Aragami before? What kind of Aragami are you? How did you end up inside of me?'

 _'No, I haven't. I don't want to answer the rest. You'll know it when the time come.'_

'That answer again? No hint or anything?'

 _'No.'_

'You're a real jerk you know that?'

 _'Yes I know.'_

'If I ask you nicely would you answer it?'

Unexpectedly, Rei sighed. _'What a persistent host. This is the last time I ever answer your questions in advance, got it?'_

'Okay.' My persistence had finally given me a bit of progress.

 _'Someone placed a shard of my original core into your body nine years ago. That's how I ended up with you. I've told you about this when the first time we met.'_

'You did? Who is it? Why?'

 _'Like I know. I was barely conscious at that time.'_

'Why you never said anything in that entire nine years?'

 _'I couldn't. I didn't have enough strength to do so. Only after they inject you with that substances I received enough energy to manifest.'_

'Substances?'

 _'Yeah, I don't know what it's called. Modified liquid Oracle that human use to create God Eater.'_

'P53 Bias Factor. That means... My infection was planned?'

 _'Most likely. As for me, I'm a Singularity in human term. The first Singularity to be precise.'_

'Singularity? What kind of Aragami is that?'

 _'You'll know it soon.'_

'Very well, not a satisfying answer, but better than nothing.'

Another mystery added to my list. Nine years ago... That was when Fenrir took me and my sister from Lindow and tested our compatibility rate before sent us to Magnolia Compass. It could be anyone from Fenrir to Magnolia staff. What about Singularity? I never heard it before. Stronger Aragami variant? Sort of pack leader or something?

I couldn't help but to think that something big was about to happen. Lindow's assassination, Alisa's hypnosis, my infection, everything was schemed. I wouldn't stop until I found the truth, it's a promise.


	9. Aragami in Disastrous Mission

Another spark jumped between electrode and metal sheet, effectively meld them together. That was the last sheet for Link Support Device casing, if I read the schematic right. My welding skill was among the best in maintenance crew, thanks to my immunity against virtually any hazard. Why? It simply because I didn't need any protection. Not those heavy welding mask, or cumbersome insulating cloth, not even those stupidly thick welding gloves. That made me much nimbler and accurate than other crew. I did need darker welding goggles though, for my eyes were extremely sensitive.

Stretching my hands after working for few hours felt quite nice. Not that I need it. Ever since I was changed, never once I felt a sore muscle. But it just like they said, old habits die hard. Another part of protective casing finished and ready to be placed. Without Licca my progress reduced to a complete halt. Creating a circuit board from scratch was beyond my capabilities, so I created its frame and casing instead.

I took few steps back and examined my handiwork. Pride swelled in me. Three weeks ago this thing was merely a sketch, a rejected schematic. Fenrir deemed it a waste of resources, I deemed it a waste of potential.

Working in this place was quite exhausting, mentally, so I decided to take a break. Becoming an Aragami didn't strengthen my mind, scratch that, it gave me troublesome Aragami instinct instead. My nose scrunched from my own foul stench, I was covered in greases, oil, rust, and dust. Having extraordinary senses had its own drawback it seems.

Back in my bathroom, my laundry bin filled with stained Fenrir uniform. Slowly, I sat in the tub, allowing warm water around me carried my mind off. Lindow had gone missing for four days now. I never found his track, no matter how hard I tried. It was frustrating. No point in having a sharp senses if I couldn't even track a single person.

Stench that tainted me faded with each scrub, replaced with fresh lavender from my soap. It took more than just few swipes to washed the stench away, but in the end, I managed to.

This bath reminded me of Lindow's house nine years ago. Back then, he still a young corporal, yet he had saved enough to buy a small house in the Outer Ghetto southern district. One day he brought us a brand new bunk bed and a bathtub out of the blue. We told him it was unnecessary, for our old bunk bed and shower were still functional. He insisted, telling us that he planned to brought it even before he took us in. We never had a chance to use it, in the next morning Fenrir shipped us off to Magnolia Compass.

Funny, we cried in each other arms, loud enough to annoyed the hell out of our pilot. We didn't stop crying even after we arrived, we collapsed, and cried ourselves to sleep on our new bed in Magnolia orphanage. I held a grudge on Fenrir for a long time, only recently I began to understand why they did it. We have no parents, and they wanted the best education for their God Eaters, so they sent us to Magnolia, regardless our objections.

I left my bathroom after... twenty minutes? A warm bath and weary mind was a fine combination to lose yourself. I sat on my sofa, contemplating my next move. That was when I sensed someone entered Dr. Sakaki's office. It was him, Dr. Sakaki returned from his lab, he finished analyzing the new Vajra sample I that brought two days ago.

The red metal door opened, I strode across his room and took an empty seat in the corner. He furiously stroked his keyboard, archiving his knowledge into his personal computer.

"How's the result doc?"

"We call it Prithvi Mata. From the samples you brought to us, we can tell it's a distinct species of Vajra that use ice instead of lightning. It had different yet closely related Oracle pattern and interconnected Bias Factor. It also had mis-"

"Explain it in simple way. I'm an engineer, not a scientist." I interrupted him. Dr. Sakaki had nasty tendency to rambling around. If I didn't stop him, he might continued his lecture and bore me to death.

"This is not the only new Vajra species you'll encounter. The missing pattern of Bias Factor in its body indicate that another similar Vajra is exist somewhere."

Similar Vajra? Could it be... The black man faced Vajra I saw in my sister's resonance? I should keep an eye on it then.

"Thanks for your info. By the way, do you know where I can find a Quadriga or Vajra?"

Dr. Sakaki fixed his glasses then resumed typing. He intensely watched his monitors ony by one, until a beeping sound came from the top monitor.

"Got it, come here Rena."

So I did. Two red dot marked on his monitor, one directly above Infernal Subway while the other one was around Temple Area.

"A Quadriga directly above Infernal Subway and Vajra near Tranquil Temple." I nodded at him. "I'll borrow your helicopter for a while, doc."

The helicopter rotor spun at full speed, ready to take off at any moment. The hangar ceiling folded neatly, allowing full access for the chopper to pass through. Sleek, seamless, and black as night, that the nature of Dr. Sakaki's helicopter. An extremely fast and agile helicopter capable to carry six persons. Even untrained eyes could tell this was not a garden-variety helicopter, must be a custom made or heavily modified. I opened its passenger door and sat on the middle seat.

"Metro Area, Infernal Subway entry point."

The bearded pilot nodded at me. Where did Dr. Sakaki found his private pilot? A perfect pilot, albeit too quiet. Like robot, he always on stand by every time I arrived. Gave him a direction and he would fly you to it in record time. Asked him to transport Aragami remains, and he would bring it to your destination. No chit-chat, no questions asked. Not even once he talked to me, nor I ever saw his face. He always waiting for me in the chopper, with his helmet on.

I jumped from the helicopter once I reached my destination, without destroying its door of course. Infernal Subway entryway was located in the remains of nameless suburban about ten kilometers northeast of the Den. I landed on a roof near Infernal Subway entrance. This place inhabited with many kinds of Aragami. Floating egg like Zygote, common Ogretail, slow moving Cocoon Maiden and its cousin Night Hollow, even occasional Dreadpike.

However, despite being highly inhabited, buildings around this area were relatively intact. Sure, wear and tear was to be expected, some even lost part of its wall, but still infinitely better than almost unrecognizable ruins in Tornado Valley. I sniffed the surrounding air, thoroughly, yet I only found sulfur like scent that emerged from a hole leading to Infernal Subway. So, he wasn't here either.

It didn't take long for me to find my target, a giant Aragami towering over nearby ruin. Quadriga, just like what NORN described, a massive, heavily armored and armed tank Aragami with human like torso. It had arsenal of different sized rocket and missile, it even had a napalm bay on its belly. Here I thought having a rocket booster strapped to my back was absurd enough.

Seize any chance for sneak attack, that what Lindow taught me. I crept closer to the unsuspecting Aragami. One by one, my spikes formed and hovered in place, waiting to be unleashed. My spikes launched once it reached two dozen, barraging the Quadriga down with tide of spikes. Most of it were deflected, but some hit gap on its armor and penetrated it.

The tank launched its own swarm of rockets at me, forcing me to duck. Concrete, asphalt, and dirt scattered around me, creating a natural smokescreen and caused a ringing in my ears. That was my chance, I created a pair of gauntlets and charge forward. My gauntlet cladded hand slammed its front armor and shattered it apart, exposing its soft tissue and three missiles that grew in it.

Three missiles in its chest flew in sequence, right at my face. The first missile completely missed me. It flew above my head and blasted a concrete wall behind me to pieces. Second missile went at my chest. I didn't have any time to duck, so I crossed my gauntlets cladded arms and braced myself. The explosion obliterated my gauntlets and damaged my arms. I forced my still throbbing hand to move. Just in time, I grabbed the fin of third missile and held it firmly. It took everything my damaged muscles had to alter the missile course and sent it back into its chest.

The missile exploded, setting off a chain explosion with other three newly grown missiles in Quadriga's chest. Once the dust settled, all I found was a disabled Quadriga lay on its side. Its entire front armor, chest tissue, and missile pod were replaced with a massive cavity. It stayed there, unmoving, but definitely alive. It would regenerate itself given enough time. Only by destroying its Core one could stop any kind of Aragami from reforming back.

I checked on the wound that tank had inflicted on me, that was the first time I realized the true nature of my body. Jagged and cracked, that how my wound appeared, as if my hands were made up from glass. Still, better than cruel reality that lurked beneath. White, my flesh was inorganic grey gel that rippled around and mend themselves right before my eyes. A wave of nausea struck me. I thought I was ready, fully accepting the fact that I had lost my humanity, how wrong I was.

Took less than a minute for my injury to healed, but it would take forever to remove the picture that recorded in my mind. I carved a hole in its chest with my blade and plucked its Core, permanently sealed its fate. The only thing left was to gather its armor. Piece by piece, my pocket slowly bulged with shards from Quadriga armor.

[Rena? The Vajra from before suddenly moving, it heading to your location.]

"Thanks for the warning doc."

Loud and heavy stomp gradually got louder and louder, it came from the south. Twin blades grew on my hands, couple of spikes formed and hovered above me. A loud roar on the distance signaled the Vajra arrival. It was coming.

Thunderbolt met spike, claw and blade clashed. We traded blow with each other. Despite my superiority I couldn't deliver a killing blow, it kept nimbly dodged my attack. Annoying, this one more calculating and wary than Vajra from before. I dashed forward and sliced its head, only to slashed an empty air instead. It leaped back and fled northeast, to the High-rises Area.

Faster! I kept chasing that cat. My prey ran away like there was no tomorrow, which coincidentally true. I would kill and broke it apart once I caught it. Agility had never been my expertise. Until now, my hunt always went smooth because my prey never ran away. They began acting strange ever since I killed and ate Prithvi Mata's Core. Small fry like Ogretail would scurried away, while larger or stronger one became agitated, ready to tested their teeth, or sprung away at slightest provocation.

Buildings passed, roads traveled, and cliffs crossed, before I knew it, I had chased that cowardly cat down to High-rises Area. It wouldn't stop, it wouldn't slow down, even with couple of spikes stuck at its hind legs. I launched few more spikes at it and struck its belly. The Vajra roared in pain, yet it kept running, completely ignoring its bleeding stomach.

Bad. Definitely bad. I heard a group of people, possibly God Eaters hunting in City of Mercy, few hundred meters ahead. Shouldn't be a problem, if not for stupid cat in front of me that would accidentally ambushed them. I threw my twin blades in one last attempt to stopped it. One of my blade struck its wing and bounced harmlessly, while the other one cut deep into base of its tail, nearly severing it. The large cat leaped from a cliff, right into western part of City of Mercy. I immediately followed its steps.

Rina?! My predicament turned from bad to worst. She stood with her back facing the incoming Vajra from above. I got a clear view on my target, wave of spikes formed immediately, yet I hesitated. No guarantee that my sister wouldn't get caught in my attack. Three Oracle bullets, all blaze. Two of it hit Vajra's head while the last one nailed my left shoulder. It caused no more than a mild tingling, but the force behind it stopped our momentum. Both of us felled to the ground.

I expected certain girl crying from her trauma, slumped down from her horror. I was right, Alisa cried while hugging Sakuya tightly, while my sister and Kota stood on each side. It wasn't cried from terror, it was joy. Alisa overcame her trauma and stood valiantly, guarding my sister. If not for her, Rina might end up in infirmary, or worse...

Alisa flinched when she noticed I ruffled her hat. She still felt threatened even when I was smiling huh? I lowered my voice and mustered my softest smile, which undoubtedly pale in comparison to my sister's smile, still, it was all I can do.

"Don't be afraid, it's all thanks to you that my sister survived unscathed."

"What're you doing here sis?"

"That-" I pointed my finger on Vajra carcass. "is my target. I found it in Metro Area. We fought each other until it suddenly fled, so I chased it."

"What? You tail it from Metro Area to City of Mercy? That's cool man, I can't even do a thousand laps without running out of breath." The young boy suddenly exclaimed.

"Cool? More like a curse." I shook my head. Nobody could understand it, and nobody would, I hoped, for living with eternal hunger and Aragami instinct was a heavy burden.

"Doc? Send the chopper to City of Mercy. I've completed Licca's request."

* * *

I found a pleasant surprise back at the Den, Licca had returned from her two-day mission and now calmly sipped a cup of her volatile iced curry while leaned on nearby wall. The container that kept Cocoon Maiden needles and Chi-You tendon now filled with Quadriga armor and Vajra volt generator. I lifted it off the ground and placed it on nearby table.

"Yo Licca, it's done. How's your mission?"

"Went smoothly. Guess what, I've finished another layer of circuit." Licca placed the newly created circuit board on table, beside my storage box.

Green sheet of electrical component, as long as my arm and a feet wide. Many kinds of intricate component such as Oracle comparator or Oracle amplifier embedded neatly on its surface. Forgot about created a circuit board, read its blueprint alone was enough to gave me a headache.

Part by part, another segment started to come together, slowly formed on top of another layer of circuit and wire. We installed the last two God Arc port and initiated a test run. All test results were green. Connection, Core reader, power, port gate, everything in working order. We smiled and nodded to each other, without word, we understand that this God Arc port test marked three quarters of our progress. We took a short break, Licca back on her iced curry while I had... Well, nothing.

It suddenly dawned on me. Licca was my first true friend. She kind and treated me like human, a survivor from infection rather than Aragami. True, she had the luxury of not affected by my Oracle field, but it didn't change the fact that she absolutely unfazed by my inhuman side. Welding metal without gloves, holding molten bar in my palm, bending steel wires barehanded, she took it all without slightest disgust. The only reaction I got from her was a raised eyebrow, which happened when I accidentally knocked my sunglasses off, thus allowed her to see my slitted eyes.

"It's like a dream." Licca suddenly spoke.

"Dream?"

"I never thought one day I will see this project coming to fruition. Not after Fenrir rejected my father's proposal."

"Wait, this project was your father's?"

"Yes, my father, Shigeru Kusunoki, is a senior engineer. He always travel around the world, helping other branches. He developed this schematic when he was stationed here for three years."

Unsurprising, this Link Support Device took staggering amount of resources. How many Aragami I'd killed till now? Five dozen? Maybe more. Fenrir would never agreed to this project. They chose to spend their funds on Anti-Aragami walls or God Arc instead of project that might or might not useful to them. No pain no gain, but my gain overshadowed my pain this time.

"I see. No need to worry about materials now, I'll stick with you till the end." Yep, my gain towered over my pain, definitely. By finishing this job I helped Licca achieving her dream and got a nice Link Support Device in return.

"Thanks, preciate it." Licca placed her mug back on table. "Break time's over, let's get back to work."

[Come to my office, I have important task for you.] Dr. Sakaki's voice ringed in my head. How convenient, he could instantly call me over my headset.

"Sorry Licca, Dr. Sakaki called me."

"Don't sweat it."

He stayed in his seat, rapidly typing his keyboard. He took a quick glance at me and nodded before returned to his monitor. I sat on the couch, watching him immersed in his work. Unlike Licca, my relationship with him more like professional rather than friendly. Worked for him and he would provide me with my own quarter and allowance, that was our unspoken agreement. Sometimes he asked for a sample or two from me, whether it blood, hair, X-ray scan, and I got extra perk like borrowing his private chopper and information network in return.

"I'll keep this short, I want you to clear out entire Tranquil Temple and surrounding areas. No need to collect anything, just wipe out the Aragami." Dr. Sakaki said.

"That's awfully particular mission, even for you doc. What's your objective?"

"Let's say something interesting will appear if you do so."

There, it was one of the reason I stayed professional, he had a deceitful tendency. No, more like crafty, for I sensed no malicious intent.

"Whatever, not my business." I shrugged.

* * *

Friggin' wild-goose chase. Now I tasted the true annoyance of having immensely dense Oracle field. Not even once I found small fry dared to attack me, they all scrambled away. Only some of medium and large Aragami had the nerve to attack me. How the heck I supposed to wipe them out when I couldn't even catch most of it? I perched on tower rooftop in the middle of Tranquil Temple, watched my surrounding, tried to ambushed them so they couldn't run away.

 _'Why don't you used your Aragami form while fought Quadriga from before?'_

'Afternoon, late bird. I trained my real body. Tell me, how severe my wound last time?'

 _'I'm not late and I'm not a bird. What wound?'_

'It called figure of speech you idiot.' I laughed at him, he really one giant ball of cluelessness. 'The injury I suffered on my forearm when I fought it.'

 _'You call it injury? My regeneration was among the top, and your body adopting my trait. For me, injury is missing limb, or worse.'_ Rei's tone reeked conceit and amusement, classic.

Birds chirped among the wood, pine scent covered entire forest, fresh flower struggled to bloom amidst the snow, a perfect picnic spot if not for Aragami that wandered around. I left my spot after loud, deep roar disturbed me. Large and presumably strong Aragami howled in northeast of Tranquil Temple.

Large, black cat, with man face. It was like that Aragami, the one I saw in resonance. It eaten Zygote and Ogretail remains, unaware that I stalked it from afar. The more I crawled closer, the more nauseating it became. Loud snapping sound of its jaw, thick and disgustingly sweet blood scent that engulfed us, snow that dyed in crimson red, chunk of Aragami flesh scattered around, indisputable testimony on its ferocity. No matter how ferocious it was, a cat still a cat, it would be an easy kill once I mounted firmly on its back. I pounced on it once I was in range.

 _'Don't do it! Run!'_ I heard Rei panicked in my head, too late, I already jumped, why he panicked?

Massive surge of electricity blasted me away.

I pried open my eyelids. Blurred, I couldn't make out of anything. Was it a tree? The black spot that approached me? Everything felt heavy and abstract, like being submerged in pool of mud. My hands covered in soot, or was it my charred hands? I forced my limped legs to stood up and leaned on tree trunk that I was thrown onto. The blur slowly faded away, granting my vision back. The black spot earlier was Vajra with man face. It snarled at me angrily and unfolded its wings, a pair of razor-sharp black and red bladed wings. It leaped on my half paralyzed body, pinning me down with its front paw. My chest strained from its weight, I tried to wiggled free to no avail. It snarled on my face, blowing its blood soaked breath on me.

 _'You never listen to me, don't you?'_

'It was too late, sorry Rei, I think you'll need a new host.' I laughed bitterly at him.

 _'I don't think so.'_

The faded paralysis came back with vengeance, instantly prevented me from moving. This familiar feeling... No, it was Rei, he took over me. My body shifted, steadily swallowed in ever-growing pool of Oracle. The liquid Oracle hardened, creating my Aragami form.

Rei roared at the black Vajra, menacingly unfolded my wrist blades. Both Vajra and Rei circled each other, assessing, looking for a glimpse of weakness. The black Vajra dashed at us, sweeping its deadly wing horizontally. Half leaped, half dashed back, Rei narrowly evaded its blade and landed few meters back. He ignited my booster, hovering in place for second, and then flew at it with deadly speed.

Two snaps. My right wrist blade and its left wing lay on the ground. Rei redirected my booster and slammed my body on it. He bit its left shoulder. Thick sweet syrup glided down in my throat, revitalized us, and almost made me thrown up.

Black Vajra retaliated, its last wing swung on wide arc. We got away, nearly. Excruciating pain struck my back and Rei roared in pain. Loud thud caused him to looked back. It was my booster? That wing had cut off my left booster?! Rei jumped again, he put even more distance between us.

I sensed that. Oracle field around me moved, floating upward, condensed, rapidly formed numerous large ice spears. Rei threateningly aimed our ice spears at it. The black Vajra halted its advance and snarled. It stayed still, watched the ice field looming above us. We reached a deadlock. Rei couldn't move while maintained such massive number of ice spears, and the black Vajra was out of range. At the same time, that black Vajra surely became a honeycomb if it dared to resume its advance.

The black Vajra ultimately decided to flee, it probably thinks our Core didn't worth the trouble. Rei slumped down and dispelled my Aragami form. Battered, drained, and hungry. The hunger... it started to affect my mind...

 _'Sorry, I exhausted our energy. Find food as fast as you can, else we both fall to our primal instinct.'_

Hungry...

I dragged my body back to Tranquil Temple, searching for any leftover from my hunt. My mind clouded with gnawing feeling in my stomach. I must find food, anything would do. Even Aragami flesh was still better alternative than fell to my instinct.

So hungry...

Cool snow brushed my face. I fell to the ground, face first. My legs strained as I forced myself to stand.

Starving...

Piece of my reason slipped away, eaten by the hunger. I forced my jittery hand to reached my headset.

"Doc... Don't send... anyone... to Tran...quil Temple... lease..."

Must eat...

I clung to the last strand of my reason, which soon severed. My knees soaked in snow, my eyelids closed. I let out a loud feral cry.

Hunt...

Two-legged beast... Kill...

I rammed my hand to its body. Sweet red liquid bursting out of it, splattered across my face. My tongue swirled in anticipation, I drank the sweet liquid, greedily. I ate each pieces of it, until no more remained.

Not enough...

A prey, it float above me. I grabbed its tail and tugged it down. My hand jammed into its body. Red liquid, delicious red liquid. I sucked it, let it slide to my throat, then ate the rest.

More...

Another prey, white skinned creature with four limb and white strands on its head. Foolish creature. I clutched its neck, lifting it off the ground. It pitifully struggling, tried to break free. Slowly, it raised one of its limb, with three bright-colored marbles on it. Food? I snatched it all and threw the creature. It ran away. I didn't care, I had its food in my hand.

Eat...

I chewed one of it, slowly my hunger dwindled. Still not enough. I ate the second marble, the gnawing feeling in my stomach nearly gone. I took the last one, blast of energy surged, flooding my entire body, and knocked me out.


	10. Aragami and New Leader

_'... up. Wake up you lazy host.'_

'Nghh... Morning Rei...'

 _'It's evening.'_

Bit by bit, my senses returned to me. I stood inside of unknown building, with no memories on how I got here. My body ignored my order when I tried to move it, so Rei still took over my body.

'What happened? My head... it's spinning...' Spinning wasn't a correct term, it more like jumbled. My memories mixed up and dispersed, make it hard to recall recent occurrence.

 _'We lost to our instinct, that's for sure.'_

'Damn it, did I hurt anyone? How long I was out?'

 _'I don't know, I don't remember anything during our stupor. Two, or maybe three hours at most. Now I've averted a crisis, I'll let you back in control'_

My knees buckled from unexpected change in ownership. I flexed each muscles in my body, testing it thoroughly. Everything worked surprisingly well for someone who just recovered from starvation. I got back on my feet and examined area around me. Statue, ruined ceiling, snow covered wooden tile, yep, definitely the only temple in Temple Area.

[Rena? Do you read me?]

"Loud and clear, 'sup doc?"

[You stopped responding my call since two hours and seventeen minutes ago, what's going on?]

"You know what, I found the owner of missing bias pattern in Prithvi Mata, it's a large black Vajra with man face."

[And you fought it I presume. That explain why Fenrir radar detected two massive Oracle signals clashed in Temple Area. Did you subdue it?]

"No, I couldn't. In fact, I barely make it out alive. Tell other God Eaters to stay away from it, unless they're prepared to suffer some casualties."

[An Aragami strong enough to fight you on equal ground, a grim news indeed. Alright, your transport is on the way, return immediately.]

"What about the job? It haven't even reach halfway."

[My request can wait. It's too dangerous out there, that new species might return at any moment.]

"Got it." Well, another plus for him. Dr. Sakaki cared about my well being, unlike that creepy director.

 _'I have something to show you, go to the middle of this ruined village.'_

'What's it Rei?'

 _'Go, you'll know it when you reach it.'_ I shrugged at him and began to walk.

Definitely not God Eater's, that was the first thing that crossed my mind. A young girl or boy footprints no larger than mine, forming a trail amid the snow. I tried to follow it, only to met its end at nearby wall. Upon further examination I noticed these footprints almost, or perhaps identical to previous footprints I found on the day Lindow went missing.

'Footprints... What do you say about this Rei? And whose footprints is this?'

 _'I don't know, it was here when I recovered from our starvation. Look like a juvenile human footprint to me, but I highly doubt it, considering their fragility.'_

'Back to square one, huh. Tell me, what are the odds of that black Vajra return to this place?'

 _'Negligible, it's in Aragami nature to avoid one that stronger or equal to itself, unless they're cornered of course. Why?'_

'Got a sample to collect.'

It didn't take long for the chopper to arrive, and once again my strength proved to be a reliable ally. Tree trunks and other debris that filled this place slowly cleared, replaced by a makeshift helipad. It comical, I could imagine how the bearded pilot raised his eyebrow when he saw tree trunk flew from this place.

My broken wrist blade, booster, and severed black Vajra wing attached to underside of the chopper fuselage as we began to take off. Convenient, no need to break it apart. Pull the hook, fasten it, and you were ready to go. I decided to brought my broken wrist blade and booster too, better gave it to Dr. Sakaki than let it eaten by stray Aragami.

I rested my slightly drained body on the comfy passenger seat and recapped my mission. It went well at first, until I found that black Vajra. Magnolia taught me to not underestimate any opponent, know your enemy before you strike. I forgot that in the moment of excitement and paid for it, dearly. Only because of Rei and his timely intervention I could survive its assault. Speaking about Rei, I hadn't thank him yet.

'Oy Rei? Thanks for helping me.'

 _'No need to thank me, I did it for myself.'_

'Doesn't change the fact you saved me, shut up and accept my gratitude.'

 _'Whatever.'_

Like children waiting for their present, white coated Fenrir scientists gather around the helipad, eagerly waiting for samples I brought to them. How did they know about this? The pilot perhaps? They formed a line with various tools in their hands, ready to sprung into action the moment my samples touched the ground, and they did. With Oracle resistant gloves in their hands, they began sawing my samples to pieces, expertly cut it into equal sized chunk. One of them brought grey colored Oracle resistant storage box while the other one drove a forklift.

When I heard 'scientist' I imagined group of eggheads dressed in neat coat while working in a clean lab, unwilling to soiled themselves. I was wrong.

Unsurprisingly, Dr. Sakaki was absent from his office, he probably tests my samples along with the rest of his team. I took a quick shower right after I returned to my room. My body covered in Aragami blood, and most of it splashed on my face. What the hell did I do during my trance?

I lay on my bed after a quick shower, holding maintenance crew manual on my hands, trying to jam as much knowledge as I could into my brain. After around ten minutes, my sister entered my room. She sat on the edge of my bed, twiddling her fingers while avoiding eye contact, it was her sign of nervousness. I could read her like a book, as she could do the same to me, we were very close after all.

"Something on your mind?"

"Yes..." Slowly she stopped twiddling and looked into my eyes. "You know... they appointed me as the new leader for First Unit."

"About damn time." I closed my book and crawled closer to her. "Congrats, I'm sure you'll become a fine leader."

Rina had knack for leadership. Level-headed, emphatic, and capable to make split-second decisions. I was actually surprised it took this long for Fenrir to acknowledge her. There were no better candidates than my sister. Soma? Cold as ice and borderline anti-social. Sakuya? Already got her hands full with her job as medic, not to mention she was shaken by that incident. Alisa? Too green and unstable. Kota? Too hot-headed.

"Thank you, sis... say... um... Can I borrow your room?" She clutched the edge of her skirt.

"Of course. Why do you need it?" I hugged her from behind, comforting her uneasiness.

"You see... Kota wanted to celebrate my promotion... and you have the largest room among us."

Large room? More like hall. My room could easily fill with ten Dr. Sakaki's office and still had some space left. "Okay, but I need your help too."

* * *

Morning passed in the blink of an eye. In the afternoon we left the Den to brought some ingredients. It took serious effort for me to left the Den undetected. I wore exactly the same outfit as my sister while she was forced to wear sunglasses, something she didn't like. On top of that, it was only possible because of Hibari's help, she turned a blind eye when she saw us left the Den one by one.

Kota waited for us outside of the Den, Rina brought him with us to act as our guide. True, we once lived in this place, but it was nine years ago, the Outter Ghetto wasn't as densely populated as now. We hopped form one store to another, searching the best ingredients for my cookies. We kept looking around until we stumbled upon newly opened store few blocks away from Kota's house.

The said shop actually belonged to Mutsumi parents. I noticed it when I saw the store helper, it was the boy that crashed into my knees on that fateful day. A small world indeed.

Anyway, we were heading back after we obtained all necessary ingredients. It already evening by the time we arrived, so we parted ways. My sister and Kota headed to canteen for dinner while I returned to my room.

I began my work on baking cookies. Eggs, flour, and chocolate bar placed neatly in a bowl. If my memories served me right, I was supposed to keep stirring until it mixed evenly. The mixture gradually darkened, forming a fine chocolate cookie dough. The dough went into the oven after I added few more ingredients and cut it to various shape, soon pleasant scent and heat emanated from my oven.

They entered my room right after my oven rang, my sister, followed by Alisa, then lastly Kota. What about Sakuya and Soma?

"What the? Cool! This room is so large and fancy." Kota immediately exclaimed. His head turned side to side, admiring every inch of my room.

"Excuse us." Alisa greeted me politely. She had good self-restraint it seems, as she didn't openly gawking at my room.

"Make yourself at home. Come here sis, help me with this." I took the now baked cookies out from oven and let it cooled on kitchen table. The scent of well-baked cookies overwhelmed my sensitive nose, numbing other scent, and made my mouth water. Crisp, brittle and warm, also pleasant to the touch. I examined my cookie closely, before suddenly a yelp grabbed my attention.

My sister, she sucks her index finger while pouting at the cookie that fell on table. Silly sis, she forgot that cookie was fresh from the oven. I ruffled her hair. "It's still hot you know."

"It's just... I saw you holding it, it slipped on my mind that you're resistant to heat." She muttered. Rina picked another cookie with her nails. She carefully blew it, patiently waiting until it cooled down, then nibbled it. "Hm... Slightly bitter, but it's good."

"Really?" I bit my cookie.

It was tasteless.

I almost dropped my cookie out of surprise. Another bit, another tasteless cracker entered my mouth. I chewed my lips. How could I missed that? The tea I drank few days ago, the coffee I dumped on kitchen sink, it was obvious that I lost my sense of taste.

"What's wrong sis?" Rina held my shoulder firmly.

"Oh it's nothing. Anyway, let's serve these cookies."

All of us sat together, forming a circle on the floor. We traded story with each other. Story about Rina and my childhood, about Magnolia and their harsh training, my infection, my sister's breakdown, and everything, minus Rei of course. It was too early to reveal his existence, not like they would believe me anyway.

Kota told us about his past, his motivation to join Fenrir, and his family that lived in Outter Ghetto. Also, for the first time since we met, Kota flinched when I touched his shoulder. He had gotten sensitive enough to sense my Oracle field. Good for him, a dull God Eater wouldn't last long in this brutal world. Still as dense as ever though, he didn't even know why he flinched.

Alisa on the other hand... I almost pitying her. She lost her parents in Aragami attack just like us. However, she didn't have anyone to relied on, while we still had Lindow. Fenrir took her right after the attack. Her daily life filled with training, combat theory, and anything related to it. Unlike her, we still had time to play and fooling around back in Magnolia. Kinda unfair, she worked so hard to become God Eater, underwent intense training regiment, and still couldn't rival us, all because of her mediocre compatibility rate.

"Fiuuhh, I'm beat and full." Kota said. He sluggishly lay on the floor with one hand on his stomach.

"Mind your manners, we're their guess." Alisa spoke. She sat on the floor, calmly sipped a cup of tea.

"It's your own fault, you ate sandwiches for two persons." I said.

"Whaaat? The blame is on Rina. Her heavenly cooking is beyond anything Den canteen could offer. Oh man... If only I could eat like this every day."

"I don't mind if you come here every day, but you have to make it yourself." I grabbed few cans of drink and served it to them.

"No way, I can't make fancy food like that." Kota raised his fist in protest.

"Neither can I." I could, but why should I?

My sister narrowed her eyes suspiciously at me. I gulped. Thankfully she didn't say anything.

"Welp, it's already this late. I'll return to my room, catch you later." Kota waved at us.

"Me too, thank you for inviting me." Alisa bowed.

They left my room. I rose to my feet, pointlessly flexing my muscles, and began cleaning my room. My sister helped me cleaned the table and other kitchenware.

"Say... uh... Can I sleep with you?" Rina stopped cleaning and stared at me, expectantly.

"Sorry, I don't sleep."

"At least... Allow me to stay with you." Rina desperately asked for my permission.

Now I felt bad for teasing her. "No need to ask. You have my room card, that means you're free to come and go as you like." I patted her head.

We resumed cleaning my room together. Soon, everything back in place, as if that party never happened. Rina yawned and rubbed her eyes tiredly, before snuggled into my bed. She tapped empty spot beside her, silently asked me to accompanied her. I smiled at her, it would be just like old times.

I turned off the main lamp, strode across my room, and lay beside her. I patted her head as she crawled closer to my side. We were very close, even for siblings. Inseparable at young and still very close after we grew up. I guess it because we only had each other, our parents left us long ago, and we never had any relatives. Rina rarely asked me to sleep with her as we grew older, but sometimes her old trait resurfaced, especially when she was distressed.

"You never change sis..." My sister suddenly spoke. She gently clasped my hand that patted her head.

"Wrong. I'm changed, a lot." I tried to restraint bitterness in my voice from leaking out.

"Physically."

"Perhaps." I really wished so, but I knew how deep it affecting my mind. "There's something bothering you, will you tell me?"

"It's about my promotion, it feels... wrong, like they never care about Lindow. Director Johannes transferred my living quarter, now I live in Lindow's room..."

"Johannes? Careful, don't ever trust him." I firmly warned her. My hand stopped stroking her soft hair and rested on her shoulder. "My guts telling me he's connected to Alisa's breakdown, Lindow's disappearance, and maybe... my infection."

"I also feel that way. There's something about him that makes me wary, like... how should I put this... Shady perhaps."

"Fitting term. One more thing, few days ago I overheard someone mentioned Reaper or Death God, any idea what is it?"

The said Death God was actually Soma. Rina briefed me about him, how he became a 'blueprint' for other God Eaters, his involvement in P73 Bias Factor, Managarm Project, even his mother death. She also told me the source of his nickname. Everyone called him that because he allegedly brought misfortune, and anyone paired with him would end up dead. That rumor spread like wildfire after two recent cases, A god Eater named Eric and... Lindow himself.

What a fool, did people judged Soma guilty just because he always survived? They didn't even know how the said Eric and Lindow gone. Eric dead because he was careless in mission area while Lindow went missing because his entire mission was sabotaged. If only they knew how heavy a Survivor's guilt was.

"I see, he carries such heavy baggage this entire time and didn't share it to anyone. Thanks for telling me sis."

Rina replied me with soft snore and occasional grumble, she fell asleep after her storytelling. I patted her head one more time before pulled a blanket over her. Slowly, I approached my oven, silently pulled second tray from it.

Three bags of chocolate cookies dangled on my hands as I left my room. I placed one cookie bag on Dr. Sakaki's table along with short thank you note. Elevator door rung instantly when I pressed a call button. Next destination? The Den lobby.

The Den lobby was uncharacteristically quiet. Normally bustled with noise and chatter like a market, now deathly silent. Most God Eaters had gone to dreamland while visitors weren't allowed to come at midnight, such as now. My boot made a clear thumping noise with each step I took.

Hibari intensity stared her monitor, completely engrossed that she forgets to blink. I tapped her desk softly, tried to gather her attention.

"Can I he... Oh it's you Rena." Hibari looked at me for a moment before she returned to her monitor.

"Yep, still working I see." I folded my hood.

"Yes, I'm watching over 8th unit. They're having night operation in Forgotten Carrier. Do you need something?"

"Nahh, just sayin' thanks. Here, I brought you something." I placed another cookie bag on her desk. "A thank you gift for keeping my secret."

"It's fine."

I continued my stroll toward my next destination, God Arc storage facility. My hood stayed folded on my back. I didn't bother to put it back on, not when everyone had gone to sleep. Cold grey metal floor met soles of my boot, creating soft clanking rhythm. I wonder, how long I'd to stay in hiding? How long I'd to walk among them as shadow of my sister? Then again, it was a miracle they haven't found me, how many strings Dr. Sakaki had pulled until now?

Door leading to God Arc storage facility opened. Silently, I strode among sealed God Arc and heading to our workshop. Most God Arc around me had sealed tightly, only three God Arcs missing from their case, undoubtedly belonged to 8th unit. I opened the door leading to our workshop, my eyes greeted with unusual sight.

Licca slept on one of the table in this room. Papers, diagram, to-do note, and various writing tools scattered around her. Poor Licca, she worked herself to sleep again. I put my last cookie bag on table and grabbed a spare maintenance jacket from nearby locker. I knew table wasn't a nice spot to slept on, but I couldn't bring myself to woke her up, not when she slept so soundly like this. Decided to not disturbed her any longer, I left my workshop immediately after drapped her body with spare jacket.

My little tour was over, so I returned to my room.

I snuggled on my bed, searching the right spot to read my book without disturbed my sister. My body lay beside my sister, with a book in my lap. This was the last book Dr. Sakaki borrowed to me, soon I'd to ask for another batch. I began dumping its content into my head, leisurely read it bit by bit.

"Ngh... no... Lindow..." My sister moaned.

She squirming between soft blanket, restlessly mumbled incomprehensible word. Sleep-talking? No, more like nightmare. I held her warm hand, patted her head. Her nightmare grew stronger, she began kicking around and sobbed.

"No... please... don't go..." She sobbed between her word.

My heart ached, ached from watched her nightmare, from her cries, and from remembering that incident. I hugged her quaked body, comforting her and myself.

"Don't go... please... LINDOW!" My sister jerked up.

"Shhh... It's a nightmare..." I hugged her head, let her cried on my shoulder.

"Lindow... he's gone..." She kept crying, wetting my shoulder with her tears.

"I know sis... I know..." I cooed her.

Rina cried herself to sleep on my shoulder. So gentle, but also fragile. She held my arm tightly, even in her sleep, and I kept petting her in return. We stayed like this for entire night, hugging each other until dawn broke.

"Uhh..." Rina slowly woke up, rose to her feet and rubbed her eyes. She shook her head, attempted to dispel her morning daze. "Sorry... for showing you my embarrassing side."

"I don't mind, it's okay to let your emotions flowing sometimes. Why you're crying like that?" I rubbed her head.

"It because of my new room, it reminded me of Lindow. Ever since I moved to his room, I suffered from nightmare every night. That accident... It stuck in my mind..." She clutched my arms tightly.

"That's it, pack your belongings, you gonna live with me."

"No... It will draw unnecessary suspicion."

"Then at least sleep in this room. This bed is large enough for us, and don't forget that I can't sleep. Kinda waste to let this comfy bed stay untouched, don't you agree?" I tapped my bed.

"If you insist... Can I... borrow your bathroom?"

"No need to ask. Towels and other necessary are in cupboard near the door."

Mouthwatering smell of fried egg rose from my frying pan, drowning other scent in its deliciousness. Turned it over, add spice and few extra, and... done. I placed the newly made omelet on a platter and patiently waited for her.

She surely took her sweet time. By the time Rina finished her bath the omelet had gone cold. I was about to warmed the omelet back when suddenly Rina snatched it and began eating.

"Hm... It's good. Thanks for making me a breakfast. You spare me from that horrible corn on stick... Although... Why you're lying to Kota?"

"About my cooking? Meh, I'm too lazy for that. He should learn how to cook if he wants to eat homemade food like yesterday." I shrugged.

"Well... If you say so."

Rina left me after she had her breakfast. First Unit, including her, got extermination mission in Sunken Grid, or so she said. I also left my room after cleaned it, Licca might need my help in assembling Link Support Device.

I opened the door to workshop. Licca had woken up, her hair disheveled a bit, by the look of her, she still hadn't taken her shower yet.

"You come at the right time, look what I got." Licca urged me to come closer.

It was a stack of black boxes. A large box with Fenrir emblem printed on its top and a seal bore number 4 on its side.

"R&D huh? Alright, let's see what they got this time."

The black boxes filled with various blueprint like new God Arc, medicine, traps, even Armlet upgrade part. R&D had habit to release blueprint in batch, such as now. Also, they had new quirky way to organizing equipment. They sealed the box with numbers, which indicate its 'grade'. Lower number equal with weaker or older equipment.

"I'm going to announce that grade 4 equipment are now available." Licca spoke. She waved at me before finally left.

[Rena, come to my office.]

"Right away." Well, learning the blueprint would have to wait I guess.

I returned to Dr. Sakaki's office. This time Dr. Sakaki waited for me on his couch, with a cup of tea and few cookies on his table.

"Please sit down."

"Alright, what do you need doc?" I sat on the other side of his coach.

"First, thank you for these cookies, I appreciate it."

"Yep, no prob." I leaned my back against coach backrest. "So, let's get down to business."

"As you wish. I want you to resume my request. Exterminate any and all Aragami in vicinity of Temple Area. However, should you encounter new species from before, retreat immediately. Your safety take priority over my request."

"Understood. By the way, why do you want me to clear it? Another Aragami will replace each one I kill, and tomorrow that place will become infested again."

"You'll know it soon."

I narrowed my eyes. He hid something, I could sense it. "Fine, I'll play along... For now."

"Worry not, you won't regret this, I can promise you that."


	11. Aragami in Doubt

What a fine evening.

Bird chirped from a distance, followed by other's cheerful chirp, forming natural symphony. Snow covered forest glittered brightly under sunset's gaze, complete with natural pine fragrance that drifted in the air. Together they created indisputably impressive natural landscape. I danced amidst the snow-covered lands, gracefully jumping around, dodging stray Fallen Gboro-Gboro ice ball and Kongou wind ball that almost blasted me away.

A fine evening indeed.

My spikes struck Gboro-Gboro's chest, while Kongou behind me sliced in half by my blade. Two more prey added to my list. This morning Dr. Sakaki asked me to resume my job, exterminate any Aragami around Temple Area. As usual, he didn't tell me why. Frankly, I couldn't care less about his reason, so long as he didn't dabble in dangerous experiment.

I pulled apart Gboro-Gboro body, broke it down to its salvageable part and grabbed its Core. Did the same to Kongou minus its Core, I accidentally cut it in half along with its body. Carefully, I stashed each material in my brand new Oracle infused knapsack.

Cold snow-covered tree swayed as I perched on its branch, sending icicles and snow down to earth. I reached my headset and pressed a button.

"It's done doc. No Aragami left in two kilometers radius from Tranquil Temple."

[Excellent, go to Tranquil Temple south gate, I'll meet you there.]

"Got it." Wait, what? "Oy doc, it's dangerous out here, don't-"

The only voice came from my headset was static noise. Dr. Sakaki abruptly cut off our communication line. Great, soon I would have a scientist to babysit. With grumble, I jumped from tree branch and started to walk.

I stopped at small snowy field south of Tranquil Temple. According to my prediction, Dr. Sakaki's chopper would land here. A normal human couldn't take ten meters fall without injured themselves, so the chopper would have to find a clear ground for landing.

I dropped my knapsack and began reorganizing my stuff while I waited for his chopper. This morning, before I went here, I decided to craft a knapsack for my daily job. This idea came from my experience. Unlike God Eaters, my missions spanned from couple of hours up to few days straight, so running out of space was inevitable. Also, this knapsack allowed me to brought additional tools. Sure, restore pills, ration, and any kind of booster had no effect on me, but I could still use some stun grenade and traps.

Soon, a subtle sound of helicopter rotor approached me. I squinted, tried to discern faint outline of Dr. Sakaki's chopper among the cloudless night. It still took some effort to spot a black object on black background, even with night vision.

Dr. Sakaki arrived with note and pen on his hand, he scribbled his book right after he stepped out of the chopper.

"Doc? Why're you here? This isn't a safe place for you."

"Time to see the results of your hard work. Let's rendezvous with First Unit, they're at Tranquil Temple now."

"What's your game doc? Don't play dumb on me, I know you're up to something." I glared at him.

Dr. Sakaki maintained his unreadable expression. "Escort me to Tranquil Temple, you'll find your answer there."

My normally fast pace reduced to crawl, and it was all because of Dr. Sakaki. He wrote down every single details about me and my ability, especially my Oracle field. We reached Tranquil Temple after excruciatingly long walk. Like he said, the First Unit had already there, finishing off a Chi-You and was about to take its core.

"Please, all of you, hold your Arcs." Dr. Sakaki exclaimed.

"Huh? Doc? Sis?" Rina turned her head toward us.

"Why are you here?" Alisa asked.

"Dunno, Doc. Sakaki dragged me all along, without any explanation no less." I shrugged.

"Worry not, all will be explained in time. Leave that Aragami there for a moment. Come with me. I've something to show you."

Dr. Sakaki really knew how to dragged people around with as little description as possible. We blindly followed him and hid behind nearby ruined house, intensely watched Chi-You corpse ahead of us. The tension grew thicker, thick enough to prevented anyone from making any sound, even Kota.

There, I heard that, faint footsteps and crushed snow. Someone, or something approached the bait. "It's coming..." I whispered.

"Where?" Kota asked. He didn't even bother to whisper.

"There! Look. It's coming! I knew it would!" Dr. Sakaki spoke.

Everyone's eyes snapped at lone figure that slowly walked toward Chi-You corpse. Suddenly, everyone rushed forward, circling the unknown person, and aimed their God Arc at her. The said figure turned around, facing us.

It was a... I didn't know what it was. Humanoid bloodied... girl? Wore ragged cloth or remains of Fenrir flag perhaps. She... no... it had white hair and very pale, almost white skin and yellow eyes. I said 'it' because it definitely Aragami, a human-shaped Aragami.

 _'What! No way...'_

'You know... it?'

 _'It's not an it. I have a hunch, but let's hear that doctor first.'_

"Um... I... I am... Hungry..." It talked.

"Whoa!" Kota shouted. He tensed and put his fingers on trigger, ready to shot at any moment.

"Welcome, welcome! Good to see you! It certainly took a while to get you to show yourself, hm?"

"What's going on?" Alisa asked. She constantly turned her head, from the unknown... things? to Dr. Sakaki.

"Thank you for all your help in bringing her here. Oh, there's just so much I must know! So many opportunity!" Dr. Sakaki said. He examined the unknown creature from top to bottom, like what he did to me on my first meeting.

"I'd appreciate an explanation more than your thanks, doctor." Soma replied.

"The little lady was quite determined. Wouldn't appear when we needed her to, so I took a chance and eliminated all of her natural prey in the region." Dr. Sakaki explained.

"So that's why you sent me." I crossed my arms.

"Huh? What're you talking about sis?"

"Lately, I've been doing his so-called 'special request'. He wanted me to eliminate any Aragami in Temple Area, regardless their types. Now I see why..." I narrowed my eyes at Dr. Sakaki.

"You're devious, doctor, and I don't know whether it's a compliment..." Soma added.

"Uh. hey. so... I'm just gonna ask the question on everyone's mind... Who the hell is this kid?" Kota asked.

"Ah, of course, of course. We probably shouldn't be speaking out in the cold like this. All will be explained at the lab." Dr. Sakaki approached the unknown Aragami fearlessly. So sorry to keep you all in the dark. Uh, you will join us, yes?"

"I'm hungry!" The unknown Aragami bowed to Dr. Sakaki.

"Yeah?" Soma asked.

"I... I am hungry?" It swayed its head, turning around, until stopped at me.

"What?" A wasted question, I knew it wouldn't be able to understand me.

"I am hungry!" It jumped, slowly walked to me.

'The hell? What should I do Rei? It's coming.' The unknown Aragami crept closer, less than few meters away now. Other God Eaters had move away, they aimed their weapons at it from a distance.

 _'Do nothing. Stay still and don't create your weapon.'_

'What? Seriously?'

 _'Dead serious.'_

It stopped few feet away from me, lifted its head, and watched me with its wide innocent eyes. Suddenly, it leaped at me. I didn't have any chance to react, it crashed into my chest, hugging me tightly with its thin arms. My hands reacted automatically and shoved it away. However, instead of pushed it away, I found myself returned her hug, lightly patted its head. It was bizarre, my logic screamed at me, telling me to shove it and prepare myself for a fight, yet I kept rubbing its head.

"As predicted" Dr. Sakaki muttered.

 _'As I thought.'_

Something fluttered within me, a speck of recognition, and a hint of familiarity. I couldn't stop myself from patting its head affectionately, and earned baffled looks from everyone around me.

"Uh... who is she? How do you know her?" My sister stared at me.

"I don't know, feels like I know... yet I don't." I stared quizzically at the unexplainable anomaly before me.

"I... am... Hungry!" It raised its fist and leaped at me, again.

"This gonna be interesting..." I sighed.

We parted ways. First Unit returned with their usual transport helicopter, while Dr. Sakaki, unknown Aragami, and I rode Dr. Sakaki's chopper.

On our way back, the unknown Aragami glued to me, literally. It didn't let my arm go, no matter what. Not only that, I also felt something had messed my head. Warm and fuzzy feeling rose in my chest whenever I saw it rubbed its head on my arm, and I ended up showering it with even more affection each time I tried to pushed it away. I finally given up after my... tenth attempt? And allowed it to do whatever it wants to my arms.

We arrived at the Den faster than First Unit, thanks to Dr. Sakaki's superior helicopter. He dragged us to one of his private lab near helipad and perform a quick check up on it. First Unit hadn't arrived yet, so I took it to my bathroom after Dr. Sakaki finished his test. Bad choice, I didn't know that Aragami had curiosity streak in it. I was trying to cleaned its bloody hands and feet when it dived into my tub and shook violently. Blood, dirty water, bubble, and other grime splattered onto my bathroom wall, some of it even splashed on my cloth.

It took a chunk of my patience, but I finished cleaning it after some time. That Aragami now sat on the floor in Dr. Sakaki's office, surrounded by entire First Unit. I sat on nearby coach, watched it twiddling with its feet.

"So doc, who's this girl?" Kota asked.

"This-"

"That's an Aragami." I interrupted him.

1... 2... 3...

"WHAAT?!" My sister, Kota, Alisa, and Sakuya shouted in unison.

Ah... Reminded me of my first introduction. Soma was the only one that didn't surprised by my revelation. He probably already knew its true nature, considering his sensitivity to Oracle.

"Correct, Rena. I can say it, but it will be no different. This is an Aragami." Dr. Sakaki reaffirmed my statement.

"Figured as much, it give off the same vibe as them..." I stood up and returned to my room.

"Are you going to leave?" My sister noticed me.

"Yep, got something to do, I'll be back soon."

Back in my room, I rummaged my knapsack and took Gboro-Gboro Core and its materials. This should be enough to satisfy that unknown Aragami hunger, I hoped. Now I got a moment to spare, time to ask Rei about that creature.

'Oy Rei? Tell me everything about it.'

 _'About that Aragami I assume? What do you want to know?'_

'Everything! What exactly is that creature? Why I feel... attached to it?'

 _'Don't call her it. She's sentient Aragami, and also Singularity, like us. Still as clueless as baby though. It's normal to feel attached, that Aragami is our... sister in your term.'_

My body went cold. 'WHAT?! I only have one sister, and that's Rina!'

 _'Yet you embraced her as her sibling. You subconsciously acknowledge her as your sister.'_

His word stuck in my mind. He was right, I hugged it... or her... just like how I hugged Rina... 'That's because of you and your damn instinct!'

 _'Why are you vehemently opposing this?'_

'I hate it! I hate being controlled by instinct!' I stomped my boot, creating sizable crack on floor tiles.

 _'Controlled is not the correct term, it's more like suggested. You can still hate or reject her if you try hard enough. Is it really that different? Human also acting like that.'_

'What're you talking about?'

 _'_ _Human follow their desire, just like we follow our instinct. No, they're worse than us. We never betray our kin, human on the other hand, stab you in the back if it suits their desire.'_

Rei was right, to some extent. Not all human betrayed each other, some stay loyal to their friend. Were we really that similar? Humans and Aragami?

 _'Give her a chance, it's unfair to hate her like this.'_

'Fine, I give up. I'll give it a shot." I sighed in resignation.

I put back Aragami materials and decided to bring entire knapsack to Dr. Sakaki's office. Nobody noticed me coming back, except that Aragami. She stared at me, giggling lightly and rolled on the ground. I rested on nearby couch and placed my knapsack at my side.

"So she talks a lot about food. About 'being hungry'... What exactly do you think she means?" Kota asked.

"Fooood!" The unknown Aragami shouted.

"Eeep! Cause you know, it's a little ominous." Kota responded to it.

"Hey, come here... Look." I lifted my knapsack. That Aragami turned her head at me, or... at my bag. She crawled, slowly moved closer, and stopped at my feet. I rubbed her stiff yet soft silvery hair, she replied me with small giggles.

"That said, in times of dire need-uh, now-they'll gobble up..."

I stopped listening to his boring lecture and played with new Aragami instead. She held my wrist in place, wordlessly begged me to keep rubbing her. My other hand dug into my knapsack and grabbed the first thing I touched, a chunk of Fallen Gboro-Gboro cannon. Left, right, left, right, her eyes darted between me and cannon part, as if she was asking my permission. "Go on, no need to hold back..."

She might not understand my word, but she knew my gesture. She released my wrist and stared at me with her dangerously innocent wide eyes. Her pale hands reached at the food I provided, gently prodded it, and turned around, slowly ate it while watching First Unit talked with Dr. Sakaki.

"I am hungry!" She yelled in cheerful voice.

"Whoaa?!" Kota jumped away in surprise.

"Wrong, it's thank you." I gently patted her head.

"Thank... You...?" She tilted her head. It sounded like question instead of thanks.

"Most importantly, I believe that the young girl need some friends. She already shows certain fondness for Rena, but I feel she will find a particular affection for you too, soma." Dr. Sakaki glanced at him.

"You're out of your mind!" Soma scoffed. "She may play pretend well, but she is not a human, just an approximation. She's still a monster on the inside." He walked out in anger.

Monster, huh? Then, what exactly am I?

"Aaand he's gone." Kota turned his head, facing the new Aragami girl. "How did you won her affection Rena?"

"Dunno, something clicked in me, and before I knew it she already attached to me, like this." I rubbed her smooth hair, earning her satisfied hum in the process. "Kinda cute if you ask me."

My sister gasped and abruptly turned her head. She points her index finger at me. "You!? Who are you? What've you done to my sister?"

"Huh? What are you saying?" I tilted my head.

"Stop lying you imposter! My sister would never say 'cute' or anything like that!"

"Heyy!" I shouted in protest. "I know I'm not ladylike... scratch that, some even call me boyish, but that doesn't prevent me from enjoying something cute!"

"I know, I'm just teasing you." She smirked playfully at me before turned at Dr. Sakaki. "Alright, where should we keep her?"

"I have a spare room, it's over here." Dr. Sakaki pulled a card and inserted it to another red door in his office. "It's quite small, but should be enough for her."

Like he said, it was a small room. Identical to my room, albeit significantly smaller and less decorated. In fact, it filled with only single bed.

"Sorry guys, got to go now, the Bugarally is on the air." Kota clasped his hand and scurried away.

"Excuse me, I have a report to fill." Sakuya left the room.

"Allow me to help." Alisa added.

Sakuya left us with Alisa on her trail. We decided to left her in her room, allowing her to adapted to her new room. However, for some reason she didn't want to stay. She tailed me wherever I go. I returned to my room with Aragami girl, my sister, and Dr. Sakaki in tow, we all sat on sofa, examining the unknown Aragami before us.

"Interesting... She fond of you without even knowing you." Dr Sakaki scrutinized her.

"You know why?" Rina asked

"Let me guess, because we're similar?"

"Si... Simi... Simi...lar?" The Aragami girl tried to mimic my word.

"How did you know that?" Dr. Sakaki narrowed his already narrow eyes at me.

"Wild guess." Nope, I wasn't going to divulge my secret to someone like him.

He kept staring at me for a while. "Correct. Both of you have almost identical body. Brain, nerve system, organ, even bone structure is identical to human, except it's made up from Oracle Cells. In her case, she didn't have digestive tract, only mouth, throat, and stomach."

"I see, your point?

"You already gained her trust, so I want you to help her. Talk to her, teach her, help her out." Dr. Sakaki looked at Aragami girl. She stared at us, twiddled her fingers and played with her feet. "See, she's absolutely hopeless, but I'm sure she will grow into fine girl if you willing to help."

"Got it, I'll try."

Dr. Sakaki left her in our care. We began teaching her about basic word and writing. She still had long way to go, her first writing was unreadable doodles, but at least she enjoyed drawing it.

The night approached us, we sat on the sofa, with three bowls of food on table. Two bowls of stew for me and Rina, and a plate of Kongou tail for new Aragami girl. She didn't know I couldn't taste anything other than Oracle related food. I ate her stew, pretending there was nothing wrong with it.

"I'm done, thanks for your food sis." I thanked her.

"I am hungry!" The Aragami girl raised both of her fist.

"Nuh-uh, It's thank you." I talked to her.

"Thank... you?" She bobbled her head at my sister.

"Good girl." I patted her head.

"Good job." my sister copied me.

"Ehehe." The Aragami girl giggled and smiling at us.

She was an Aragami, a purebred Aragami, yet she acted so... innocent, and naive, like a human child. Rei word repeated in my head. Aragami followed instinct, human followed desire, what was the difference between us? Feral Aragami blindly followed their instinct, yet some human also ruled by desire. Human was a sentient being, so did that Aragami girl. In the end, my question and doubt went unanswered.

I lay on my fluffy bed, resting my exhausted mind. My sister slept on my right while the Aragami girl stuck to my left arm. I stayed still for the whole night, pondering over Rei's word.

Dawn came, we crept out from our warm blanket, preparing ourselves for another day of work. My sister left us this morning, she had a meeting with other First Unit, or so she said. I sat on my sofa and rummaged through my knapsack.

"Go...?" The Aragami girl tried to speak.

"Yes, my sister have to attend a meeting." I ruffled her hair. "Here, this is for you." I pulled a piece of Kongou wind pipe from my bag.

"Thank you..." She bowed at me, slowly nibbled her food.

Watched her cheerfully ate her food risen my mood. Maybe Rei was right, this didn't feel so bad, like took care of a toddler. She got amazingly good learning capacity. In just one night, she learned basic word and simple response like thank you or hello. Also, she had great deal of curiosity. She examined, sniffed, and touched everything in my room. Sometimes she stopped moving, carefully listened to people talking in other floor.

[Rena, can you help me with this Link Support Device?] Licca voice came from my headset.

"Of course, I'll be there shortly." I closed our line.

I looked at the Aragami girl. "Now, what should I do..." She wouldn't let me go, it obvious. Surely I couldn't bring her to our workshop either... couldn't I? Whatever,

I took a coat from wardrobe and put it on her. My coat covered most of her body, from neck down to her ankle. Definitely oversized, but better than that ragged flag scrap she wore. Her curiosity kicked in, she sniffed and brushed my coat. She stroked my coat softly, then little bit more firmly, then it became full-blown scratching.

"Itchy?" I asked.

"Itchy!" She vigorously scratched my coat for a while before finally fed up and threw it away.

Half an hour and half wardrobe later, I managed to find alternative. The said alternative was nothing more than few pieces of fabric patched together to extend and fixed her ragged Fenrir flag. Not much, but at least she didn't throw it away. We walked to God Arc storage facility after I finished mending her tattered cloak. Like a clueless child, she stared at every single object she found along our way. Even a simple object like card scanner or speaker was unique enough to enraptured her. Some people eyed us as we passed by, but thankfully nobody cared, only occasional whisper like 'who's that' or 'what's that girl doing in here'.

Scent of oil and metal greeted us when I opened the door to storage facility. The Aragami girl inhaled it deeply, attempted to satisfy her growing curiosity. She childishly jumped around, watched every brightly colored God Arc that hanged on storage facility wall. It was ironic, she giggled and waltzed around, cheerfully played in a room that held their killer's weapon.

I pushed away the door leading to our workshop. "Yo Licca, I'm here."

My eyebrow arched at unusual scene before me. Licca and four other members of maintenance crew tried to lift the metal block. Unless they were God Eaters, they would never be able to lifted it.

"Good, help me flip this Link Support Device. I need to check its base. Okay thanks for your help guys." Licca dismissed her team.

That was easy, after series of tugged, pushed, and turned, the Link Support Device now lay upside down on the ground. She began tinkering with its underside, specifically at large drill that mounted on its center. That large drill used to firmly attach this device to the ground, preventing it from getting knocked over.

"Big..." The Aragami girl commented on its size.

"Huh?" Licca stopped tinkering and watched the Aragami girl behind me. "Who is she?"

"Hm... don't be surprised, kay"

"Okay...?"

"She's an Aragami."

1... 2... 3...

Nothing... No scream, no yell, nothing. Licca wore impassive face, blankly stared at me while crossed her arms.

"Stop pulling my legs." She spoke flatly.

"What? No, I'm serious."

"Serious!" The Aragami girl mimicked my word.

"Prove it." Licca narrowed her eyes at me.

I grabbed a Gboro-Gboro Core from my knapsack. The scent of Gboro-Gboro Core stole her attention. She watched the Core on my hand intensely, then looked at me with her adorable eyes.

"Food!" She chirped happily and raised her fist.

"Go on" I offered the core.

"Yeey..." The Aragami girl gleefully took the core and ate it. She bows after finished her meal. "Thank... you"

"WHAAAT?! How?" Licca moved away.

"Don't ask me, we found her in Tranquil Temple. She's a humanoid sentient Aragami, that's all I know. Oh, don't worry, she doesn't consider human as food."

"How many people know about her?" Licca came closer to Aragami girl.

"Not much, you, Doc Sakaki, and whole First Unit. Anyway, need a hand in assembling it?"

"Hold it, are you sure she's perfectly safe?" Licca circled her, examining her feature.

"Yes, I think. Doc Sakaki guaranteed that she will behave. File a complaint to him if she decided to bite you." I smirked at Licca.

"That's not very reassuring..." Licca mumbled.

"Nahh just messing with you." I patted her back. "So... need some help?"

"Here, read this." Licca handed me a paper.

Another shopping list? No, It was an upgrade request. My sister had the required materials and wanted to upgrade her short blade. "How did you get this?"

"Your sister submitted it two hours ago. Normally this kind of request will be handled by any available crew immediately, but I think you might want to do it by yourself, so I marked it as in progress."

"Thanks Licca, I appreciate it. One more thing, can you look after her while I'm working with this? She won't bite you, I promise." I smirked at her.

"I'll see what I can do."

I closed the door to storage facility behind me. It took quite a long time to convince that Aragami girl to stopped following me. Her sad face robbed half of my will, but it had to be done. There was no way I could take her with me to public places like God Arc production facility. It would only bring unnecessary attention.

The creation monitor hummed to life the moment I dumped her materials into processing container. Carefully, I analyzed and calculated each part then began to work. Bit by bit, the material began to take shape. Titanium flattened into blade edge, after that Cocoon Maiden spine embedded into the blade edge, giving it numbing venom of Cocoon Maiden.

New blade edge hanged on my knapsack as I walked back to storage facility. There I found her God Arc, neatly stored in its protective casing on the wall. I pulled one of Licca's trick, disassemble a God Arc without any tools, and began working.

I returned to our workshop after finished swapping my sister new God Arc part. Another unexpected sight faced me right after I opened the door.

The Aragami girl giggled as Licca rubbed her hair. How did she win over Licca in such short amount of time? I walked closer to them, and got a headbutt on my stomach. The Aragami girl dived at me as soon as she noticed my presence.

"Good... job?" She hugged my waist.

"Yeah, good girl." I patted her head.

"Ehehe."

"She's so adorable. It almost unbelievable, Aragami behave so innocent and naive, like a baby." Licca approached us.

"Yep, I never thought it would be possible either, yet here she is."

"What's her name?" Licca gently nudged her.

"Uh... I never thought of it. Hey what's your name?" I asked at Aragami before me.

"Name!" She mimicked my word.

"As I thought... She doesn't have any."

"That's horrible, you should give her a name." Licca grabbed her welder and resumed her work.

Name? That might work. Surely I couldn't keep called her 'little girl'. Perhaps I should suggested the First Unit to name her next time we met. I rubbed her soft silvery hair. "Want us to name you?"

"Name!"


	12. Aragami and Clueless Child

Lavender and oil, unlikely combination, yet it happened. My bathroom filled with these two scent, lavender from my soap and oil from Aragami girl. She played with Licca and run around in our workshop. Didn't take long before she crashed into oil barrel. That what she got for sped in cramped space filled with gallons of oil, grease, and other liquid.

"Uuuh, this stain is soo stubborn." My sister sat on bathroom floor, strenuously brushed Aragami girl tattered cloak.

"Yeah, that's oil for you." I wiped Aragami girl pale skin with piece of cloth repeatedly.

"Isn't she a handful little girl? Although... that doesn't explain why you're in tub with her, sis."

"Ask her. She tugs me while I rinsed her hair. Look, I still have my cloth on." I grabbed the edge of my wet shirt.

"Bath!" The Aragami girl chirped.

Wave of water washed away bubbles and stain from her body. She hummed with each stroke of my hand on her head. It was unexpected, I never thought she had energetic side beneath her calm and innocent behavior.

"Sis? I brought this girl to my workshop this morning." I poured warm water over Aragami girl head.

"You what? What about Licca?"

"Charmed. This little girl sure know how to steal people's affection. Licca told me to name this kid, and I think she's right. We can't keep calling her little girl."

"Cha... med?" The Aragami girl wobbled her head.

"Ah! I'll call everyone. We'll name her together." My sister rushed for bathroom door, then sprinted to elevator, completely forgotten about half washed tattered cloak.

"Now she dumped her job to me..." I sighed at bubbly half clean cloak.

"Du...mb?"

Just like the other day, we gathered in Dr. Sakaki's office, forming a circle around Aragami girl.

"Now all of you have gathered, let's get started. Wait... where's Soma?" I noticed he wasn't among the crowd.

"I don't know. His bedroom was empty." My sister answered.

"Never mind. Who want to go first?" I spoke to the crowd.

"Go about what?" Kota shot puzzled look at me.

"Eh? Do you know why you're here?"

"Not a clue." Kota replied.

"I don't know." Alisa said.

"Your sister told us to meet you and doc Sakaki." Sakuya spoke.

I stared blankly at Rina. She fidgeted under my gaze. "First you ditched your job, now you forgot to explain why you invited them?"

"Hehe, sowwy" She rubbed the back of her head.

"Airhead." I grumbled. "Anyway, we need to name her." I pointed my finger at Aragami girl.

"You want to... name her?" Alisa fiddled her hair and looked at Aragami girl.

"We can't keep calling her 'the child', and 'the specimen', while accurate seems... cruel." Dr. Sakaki said.

"She's not your specimen doc." I glared at him. "Name is important thing, that's why I asked you all to come. We'll name her together."

"Hahaha! Well, I hate to brag, but I'm a pretty darn good name... er... of th-things and stuff." Kota said.

"Well that seems ominous..." Alisa sighed.

"I think you've made a mistake by bringing him here." I stared at my sister.

"Hmm... Let us see here." Kota closed his eyes for a while. "Bam, got it! Norami!"

Dr. Sakaki's office went quiet right after he spoke. Everyone looked at Kota with different expression. My sister and I stared blankly at him, Sakuya and Alisa wore half annoyed half surprised expression, Dr. Sakaki maintained his everyday impassive face, while the Aragami girl... She just bobbled her head as usual.

"Yep, definitely a mistake." I mumbled.

"Uh... No!" Alisa denied.

"What do you mean, no?! You got a better idea?"

"I didn't say that... Why should I have to..."

"Ha! I found you out, sister! You're afraid, aren'tcha? You got no style!"

"I most certainly am not afraid, you brute! Um... Well... she could be... uh..."

"Shaddap, both of you. You gi-"

"Shio!" The Aragami girl interrupted me.

"What did you say?" I snapped my head at Aragami girl beside me.

"Shio..." She slowly stared back at me.

"Yes! Yes, that's perfect! And precisely what I was going to say. Thank you, Shio."

"You're such a liar! Shame! If we can't think of anything, let's go with Norami." Kota stopped for a while and turned to Aragami girl.

"Shio."

"Is Shio... already your name?" Sakuya asked.

"Yep! Shio!" She firmly spoke.

What? I thought she didn't have one. Why she never said it before? Lack of knowledge?

"Well, it appears this was a vain exercise. The child has already been christened. Very well then, Shio it is!" Dr. Sakaki declared.

"Whaaaat?! Come on! Are you suuuure you don't wanna be Norami? It's pretty cool."

"Nope!"

"Gaaah! Work with me here!" Kota shouted.

"Ah! I have an idea." My sister clasped her hands. "Let's us celebrate for her new name."

"Huh? Not bad, but we haven't prepared anything yet. It'll take at least an hour to cook a dish for five persons, even more if we make different kind of it."

"Five? Aren't you forgetting someone?" My sister looked at me.

"Nope, count me out. I'm not in the mood for another meal and Shio eat special kind of food. That leaves you, Kota, Alisa, Sakuya, and doc Sakaki."

"Hell yeah! Homemade food!" Kota jumped in excitement.

Homemade food, he jumped. How simple. I couldn't blame him, I'd taste it first-hand how horrible Den canteen foods actually were. Alisa and Sakuya lent us a hand in kitchen while Kota... well, he wasn't much help, but he kept Shio curiosity at bay.

Our party ended abruptly. Soma barged into my room and dragged the First Unit. It was about urgent mission or something. They left their half eaten food on table and scuttled away, leaving me alone with Shio.

"Hm? What's up Shio?" I watched her crawled to table, sniffing First Unit leftover.

"Tasty..." She took a piece of vegetables and ate it. "Yuck..." She spat out.

I pressed my hands on my mouth, trying to suppressed a laugh that was about to leaked. She childishly wiped her mouth and frowned. "That's not your food. Come here..." I pulled Fallen Gboro-Gboro fin from my bag.

She came back to me, grabbed the food I offered and bowed. "Thank you..."

'Rei? She has a name now.' I brushed Shio's hair.

 _'Yes, Shio. It's decent. Although I wonder, who named her?'_

'Pretty name, I think. Me too, we need to improve her knowledge if we want the answer. Tell me, why can't we taste normal food?'

 _'Aragami born with instinct to devour everything. Maybe it's adaptation to our... diet. We eat many kinds of things after all.'_

'That isn't the case with other Aragami. I can still taste it.'

 _'Indeed it isn't. Perhaps it is sort of incentive for us? We become stronger much faster if we keep eating other Aragami.'_

'Hmm... I understand most of it. That means Shio, too, will grow stronger with each Aragami she eats.' I looked at Shio. She happily sat on the ground and chewed piece of Gboro-Gboro fin. 'I might need to teach her how to fight properly.'

 _'Agreed. She might not be able to generate Oracle field or assume another form, but she can create a weapon from her hands.'_

'Eh? She can't? Why?'

 _'It's ability unique to me. Never once in my life I saw other Aragami with ability like mine. You're able to use it because you're my host.'_

'Okay, I got it, no need to be so smug like that.' I grinned at him.

 _'I'm merely stating the fact. I'll borrow your body for a while.'_

Familiar sense of paralysis swept over me, and my control gradually weakened. 'Sure, why do you need it?'

 _'Nothing, I just want to chat with Shio.'_

"Hello Shio." The word that came from my mouth wasn't mine anymore.

"Who...?" Shio looked at me.

'Wow, she noticed you immediately Rei.'

 _'Of course. There's subtle shift in Oracle field when I took over you. It's impossible to miss for her.'_ Rei ruffled her hair "I'm Rei. Nice to meet you Shio."

"Rei..." Shio stated.

They chatted with each other for a while. Well, actually it was Rei and Shio, I merely watched them. He talked about many mundane things, Aragami, places, humans, food, or even serious topic like combat and hunting tactic. Poor Shio, she didn't have enough vocabulary and forced to listen his rambles silently. But it was a good thing, she learned bit by bit from Rei's tale. By the end of his rants Shio's knowledge had improved a lot.

I tightened my still sluggish muscles and bent my joints, flushing any paralysis left in my body. That was a rare occurrence, Rei almost cared for nothing. He never used my body unless in serious circumstances. What made him suddenly appeared?

"Rena!" Shio yelled.

"Yes, Shio, I'm back." I rubbed her hair.

"Hungry!" She raised her fist.

"What? You just finished your Gboro-Gboro fin." I dug my knapsack immediately.

"Still... hungry." She shook her head.

"What an appetite... Shit, there's nothing left." I dropped my empty knapsack and took a Core from my drawer. "Here, go ahead."

"Shit!" Shio mimicked my word with her innocent tone.

"Whaaat?! Don't say that!" I dropped the Core out of surprise.

"Why?" Shio took the Core and looked at me.

"Um... Bad word?"

 _'Pffff. You dug your own grave.'_

'Shut it you moron.'

"Bad word... Rena say bad word... Bad Rena!" Shio concluded.

A wave of heat climbed my cheek. "Whaaaaa... No, I'm-."

"Bad Rena!" Shio repeated her word.

"Aaaah... I'm sorry." I slumped in defeat. Child logic could be really cruel sometimes.

 _'Right on the spot, good job Shio. That's what you get from becoming her bad influence, Rena.'_ Rei laughed.

I stormed into my bathroom and filled my tub with warm water and soap. Bubbly warm water and lavender scent around me eased my cracked pride. Lost to a mere child did a number on my ego. I played with bubbles in my tub while planned my next move. I could either teach Shio in my training room or brought her with me in my hunt. She survived for who-knows-how-long out there alone, surely she could take on single medium or large Aragami by herself.

Soft fuzzy towel brushed my body, absorbing warm water on my skin along the way. I hauled my body out from my comfy bathroom into Dr. Sakaki's cold office. He sat on his couch, drinking a cup of coffee while read a research note or something like that.

"Doc? I need medium or large sized Aragami for Shio, can you scan it?"

"What kind of Aragami?"

"Anything will do." I followed Dr. Sakaki to his computer.

"Any medium or large Aragami, yes? Let's see..." Dr. Sakaki watched his monitors until some of it beeped. "There're many different medium or large Aragami scattered in Far East region, but most of it have been registered in Fenrir mission database."

"Nope, that won't do. Any unregistered Aragami around?"

"Yes, Sariel in Valley of the Blue Ice and Fallen Borg Camlann in Infernal Subway." Dr. Sakaki pointed two dots on his monitor.

"Got it, thanks doc."

I returned to my room to picked Shio and headed to helipad. As usual, nobody paid attention to us, only occasional glanced or murmured. Worked for me, I didn't enjoy unnecessary attention. Helicopter door opened, I sat on middle seat along with Shio.

"Heli... Helichopper!"

"No silly, it's helicopter or chopper." She had larger vocabulary than few days ago, but still tend to mixed up one thing and another.

"Heli... copter!" Shio raised her fist.

"Good job." I patted her head.

 _'We should teach her making weapon.'_

What the hell did Rei think? Shio barely able to comprehend a conversation, yet he asked me to teach her complicated stuff. I was kinda expecting her to failed, so it definitely surprised me when a blade suddenly sprouted from her hands. An organic long white blade with bonny growth around its handle, somehow had a bit of resemblance to my dark blue blade. She stared at me, proudly lifted her new blade.

"You did it Shio, good job." I brushed her hair.

"What is... good job?" Shio swayed her head.

"It's something you say after doing the right thing."

"Ehehe, good job."

We jumped from the chopper and landed near small hole which led to Infernal Subway. The air around us grew warmer and saturated with sulfur. Up, down, left, right, I pushed through narrow tunnels that transformed into a maze, single-mindedly followed sulfur scent with Shio at my back. The sulfur thickened, soon, we reached small platform on the south side of Infernal Subway.

This place never changed, still as hellish as ever. Shio turned her head around, examining her surrounding as we kept moving. We walked in these wide ruined subway, searching for our target, an overgrown scorpion. Didn't take long before my ears registered clicking noises, like something hard clashed on concrete. My eyes followed the source and found our target. It was a large red scorpion Aragami with skull like pincer and humanoid torso, suspiciously resembled Susano'o I met month ago in this tunnel. It ate a Cocoon Maiden remains, completely unaware of our presence behind it.

"Shio? Look." I pointed at giant scorpion in front of us.

"Food!" She chirped and swayed her blade, eagerly jumped into the fight. "Go...?"

"Watch and learn." I crept to the giant scorpion's legs.

"Watch... learn...?"

One step, followed by another, then another. I stalked the giant scorpion with gaunlets on my hands, quietly closing the distance between us. A loud crack echoed in the tunnel, followed by angry roar. My gauntlets slammed into its left leg, shattering its armor to pieces, exposing the raw crystal like flesh beneath.

"NOW!" I shouted at Shio.

She rushed at Borg Camlann damaged leg and hacked it, adding more damage to already broken leg. I rolled, turned, and dashed away, then heard another crack. Shio broke another part of its leg armor, and now aimed at front legs. I stopped moving after placed a good distance between me and that scorpion. Far enough so I didn't catch their collateral damage, yet close enough so I could rush in any time.

 _'What are you doing? You should help her, not leave her alone.'_

'No, I need to know her style, her strength and weakness, and most importantly, her limit.' I flexed my gauntlet cladded fingers. 'Don't worry, I'll jump in at the moment it turns sour.'

 _'Fair enough.'_

I began to see how she managed to survive alone out there. Nimble sword wielding cat with serious raw power and instant regeneration, that how Shio fought in battle. She jumped around, dodging its tail and spikes while slowly chipped away its armor.

"Yaaah!" Shio leaped, raising her sword, and brought it down to its head.

There, an opening. Shio jumped too short, she would crash its skull shield instead. Single spike rammed its front leg, broke its stance, and tumbling the scorpion forward.

A crack, a wail, and sweet metallic scent. The scorpion fell upside down, twitched few more time, before finally stopped. Shio's blade cleaved its head in two. I moved closer to Shio, watching her examined her kill. Her eyes glittered with hunger, she turned her head and looked at me silently, asking for my permission before she dug in.

"Go on, it's your prey after all." I drove my gauntlet down to Borg Camlann chest, and snatched its Core. "Here, eat this first."

"Thank you." Shio took its Core and ate it greedily.

'Hey Rei, why Shio always asked for my permission first?'

 _'Simple, she subconsciously acknowledges you as the alpha. Aragami give priority to the leader of their group, like Ogretail to Vajratail, Kongou to Fierce Kongou, and so on.'_

'Why?'

 _'How should I know? We were born like this'_

"Eat...?" Shio spoke to me. She offered a piece of Borg Camlann leg.

My mouth water at her invitation. I bit my lips and curbed my hunger. Shio might be okay with that, but not me. Ate something so raw like that felt... wrong to me. I reached for the piece of hard leg she offered and stashed it in my knapsack.

"Thank you, but I'm not hungry." It was a lie. It still there, and always would.

Shio kept eating Borg Camlann while I cut it to pieces and stuffed it in my knapsack. The giant scorpion now reduced to pile of Aragami flesh, then to scrap of Aragami flesh, before disappeared into her stomach. She smiled brightly at me, showing her bloodstained face and hands along the way.

"Look at how messy you're..." Sleeves of my shirt brushed her face, cleaning some of her blood-covered lips.

"Messy?" Shio tilted her head, like confused puppy.

"Yeah, this..." My finger traced blood on her face and showed it to her. "is messy. You mustn't allow it to splashed on your face."

"I did bad..." Shio looked down.

Okay that seriously dangerous. Her downed face crashed my mood down to the floor. "Don't worry about it." My hand bounced on her hair. "You need a bath though."

Shio immediately perked up and stared at me. "Bath!"

"Yeah I know, I know, you'll have it after we returned to my room."

"No..." She shook her head and grabbed my hand. "Go..."

"Wait, where are we going?"

Shio dragged me through various tunnel and corner, ignoring small fry that scrambled away from my Oracle field. We stopped at the end of Infernal Subway, directly before a massive lava lake. She stripped her cloak off.

"Go!" Shio dived into lava lake head first, swim around, and cheerfully splashed lava at me.

 _'Well, what're you waiting for?'_

'What the hell is wrong with you both? You choose lava over warm bath...' I sighed in exasperation.

 _'No, it's the same thing for us. Will you turn her down?'_

"Go...?" Once again, Shio called me, asking me to joined her bath.

I relented a bit after she asked me for the third time. Warm lava reached my knees as I sat on the edge of half melted railroad. Shio swam closer to me, floating in place while held a piece of metal rail as support.

"Go?" Shio asked me, again.

"No, I'll stay here, go ahead."

"Okay..." Shio swam back and played. She dived, jumped, swirled around, as if she was in a pool of water instead.

I sat on the edge, she swam in the middle. My lips curved, forming a smile at my memories. This exactly what happened few years ago. It was... saturday? Another scorched noon, with sun right above our head, baking us to crisp. Our little group, my sister, Romeo, Julius, Ciel, Nana, was panting, hard. We looked around for any refreshments around Magnolia cafeteria, and to our bad luck, they run out of ice cubes. With defeated look, we headed back to our dormitory, hoping to cool ourselves off with shower.

On our way back we came across a fish pond in Magnolia garden. I didn't know what caused it but Romeo suddenly sprouted another absurd idea. He told us to swim in fish pond. My sister, Ciel, and Julius instantly opposed his idea while Nana agreed to him, whereas I chose to stay neutral. After slightly heated debate, we agreed to at least accompanied Romeo and Nana. My sister, Ciel, and Julius sat under tree shade, reading various book, while I sat on the edge of fish pond, occasionally kicked cold water beneath my feet and enjoyed relaxing smell of nearby flower garden.

Romeo and Nana dived into fish pond without second thought. They swam among startled fishes, played, and splashed water at each other face. Sometimes Nana swam closer, asking me to join them, like what Shio did moment ago. I refused, telling them that I wasn't in the mood. Stupid childish pride, I didn't admit that I couldn't swim. Yeah, I sunk like a brick. Needless to say, Magnolia staff was livid. They found few fishes floated on their pond, permanently. In the next day, we cleaned other dormitories' bathroom as our punishment. Not that we complained, our little mischief was really worth it. We never knew that was our last mischief together. In the next couple of days Dr. Rachel, Magnolia Compass leader, took Julius away from us. Well, that was few years ago, about four or five perhaps.

I felt a nudge from my back, and found out Shio had back on her cloak, ready to leave this hell hole.

"Done already?"

"Yep, go!"

We were back to the surface after series of twisted tunnels and slopes. There was still some time left before our transport arrived, so we sat on nearby rooftop, watching the star above us. Shio's curiosity kicked in again, she gazed at the moon, watching it with her wide clueless eyes.

I held her from behind, pressed our body together, and rested my chin on her shoulder. "That is moon."

"Moon...? Tasty...?"

"No, it's not. It's barren in fact." I whispered.

"What barren?"

"Barren is empty. Nothing lives on there, nothing but wasteland and dirt."

"Sounds... sad. What is that thing...?" Shio pointed at the sky.

I squinted, trying to see the faint outline of... helicopter rotor?

"That's our transport let's go Shio." I grabbed her hand and helped her to stand up.

Only sound of helicopter rotor followed me home. Shio uncharacteristically quiet on our way back. Usually, she hummed or talked about anything, now she closed her mouth shut. It almost like she was pondering over our conversation, or perhaps she did.

A pair of boots and two bare feet traveled down the empty hall in Fenrir Den. Nobody awoke at this late, not even Hibari. I took an elevator down below, to my warm fluffy bed in my chamber. Lately, I spent my night on my bed, whether it was out of boredom or habit, and waited patiently until the sun rose.

Surprised, no, baffled. That what I felt the moment my door opened. Entire First Unit stayed in my room, although Soma sat in the corner of my room, unwilling to chat with others. Scent of mixed dishes hanged in the air, they resumed the party, obviously, even without Shio.

"Yo, mister grumpy, what're you doing here?" I teased Soma.

"Ask your damn sister." He snapped at me.

"Oh, you're back. How your mission going?" My sister noticed me talking.

"Filled to the brim" I showed my bloated knapsack and sat beside her. "Why you bring them here? I thought we've finished our celebration."

"We got interrupted, remember? And it doesn't feel right to throw away these foods, besides..." She looked at Kota. "He whined this entire time, saying things like bad luck or something like that."

I should've guess that. It Kota we were talking about. "And how did you convince him to come?" I spoke louder on purpose and pointed at Soma.

He intensely glared at me. Oh, if a glare could kill I would be six feet under. I replied his glare with playful grin.

"Yes, he rejected my offer right off the bat. He finally agreed after I bugged and told him it was an order."

"Good job, he need to open up a bit more." I gave my sister a thumb up.

"Shut up." Soma snapped.

I watched him during our party. He stayed at the corner, ignoring the others. He even pulled his blue hood further down and completely hid his face. My brain worked, trying to find solution to his attitude.

The said solution came in form of certain white-haired Aragami girl who passed in front of me. If Shio couldn't melt his frozen heart, nothing could. I snatched her hand, guide her to my mini kitchen. There I found few plates of sweets and drinks lay untouched on table.

"Here, you see that grumpy man?" I pointed at Soma and gave Shio a plate of cookies and cup of coffee. "Give this to him."

"Food." Shio chirped. She walked slowly across my room and crouched in front of Soma.

"Food..." She pulled edge of his jacket.

Soma lifted his head and peeked at Shio and plate of food she offered. "Get lost you monster." He pulled his hood again, returning to his gloomy position.

I sighed in relief, instead of hurt she appeared to be confused. For once, her cluelessness saved her. Shio placed the food near his feet and returned to me.

"What monster?" Shio asked.

"Sorry, I don't know. Good job by the way." I rubbed her head.

If someone asked that question few years ago, I would answer it 'Aragami' instantly. I always thought they were monster, mindless beast existed for the sake of destruction. Certain incident happened, now I lived as one of them. My belief cracked. Then, Shio, an innocent purebred Aragami came. My belief shattered to dust.

We disbanded after my clock hit 02.00. It was unwise to stayed up late for God Eaters, however, there wasn't any mission for First Unit tomorrow, so it was okay. My sister and I cleaned their mess. We washed plates and cups while Shio gathered it. I almost jumped in joy when I saw Shio brought Soma's plate.

He drank half of his coffee.

True, he didn't touch the rest, but still an improvement. Hopefully one day he softened enough to accept First Unit, or Shio at very least.

My sister slept on my bed right after we finished our job. I sat on the sofa, holding newly issued maintenance guidebook with my left hand while Shio leaned on my right arm. My mind wandered off, remembering Rei's word about Aragami and human, also Soma's outburst. Monster, huh?

"Sis? Have you gone to dreamland?"

"Not yet, what?"

"What makes us human?" I looked at my sister.

"Eh? Why are you asking something like that?"

"I'm confused, especially after I become... like this. And Shio Arrival only worsen my confusion. What am I? What is a human?"

"I've been pondering over it too, and found the answer. It's our heart."

I shot the best puzzled look I had at her.

"You see, without heart we just another beast. Look at Soma, he has P73 Bias, his body now closer to Aragami than human, what do you see?"

"A damaged God Eater..." I answered.

"Look at Shio, she's a true Aragami, what do you see?"

"A clueless child..."

"See? You answered it yourself. And stop being sentimental like that, it doesn't suit you." My sister smiled softly.

I chuckled, slowly went louder until it became a full laughter. "You're right, that doesn't suit me. Thanks sis." I replied her smile.

"Anytime. Alright, I'm going to sleep now." My sister thrown blanket over her body and began her journey to the dreamland.


	13. Aragami in Acceptance

Fool. I was a fool. How could I prevented myself from losing my humanity when I never lost it in the first place? My vainly struggles, my hatred over my body, it was all for nothing. After a month and half, I finally made peace with my Aragami side, and it because of Rina. Yeah, she showed the error in my view, our humanity lies in our heart, not in our body.

The hall towards First Unit veteran quarter was empty as usual. Only two persons lived in here, certain grouchy man and Lindow's fiancée. It should be three, but my sister rarely returned, she spent most of her time in my room instead. I paced on carpet covered floor and stopped at the said grouchy man's room.

"Soma is in there, I can hear him." White-haired Aragami girl behind me spoke.

"Yep, I can hear him too." I nodded. I knocked the door softly. No answer. I knocked it again, a bit harder this time. Still no answer. I banged the door in annoyance. "Oy grumpy, I know you're in there."

A harsh cursing, a loud thud, and few steps later, the door opened, revealing angry blue jacketed man with a glare that could send most people away in terror. Too bad, it didn't work on Aragami.

"The hell do you want?"

I moved aside, allowing Shio to come forward. She held a pack of cookies in her hands. "We made yo-"

The door slammed in front of me. I stopped talking and sighed. Another day, another slammed door. Fine, I wouldn't give up. He was the reason we made these cookies. I wanted him to opened up to others, so we kept visiting him. Whether it was for delivering cookies or chatting. Needless to say, he harshly sent us away.

"Um... Is Soma um... he... doesn't like us?" Shio looked slightly down.

"It's not like that, he faces some difficulties. Don't mind him, let's deliver these cookies to others." I patted her head.

"Yeah!"

We returned to my room after delivered our cookies to Sakuya, Kota, Alisa, and my sister. Shio actually helped me bake these cookies. It was hard to believe, few days ago she merely clueless child that barely able to talk, now she perfectly capable to make complete sentences, although some of her speech pattern remain unchanged.

We sat on my sofa back in my room. I read another newly released maintenance guidebook while Shio scribbled doodles on blank papers.

"Hungry..." Shio muttered. She stopped scribbling and turned her head, looking at my knapsack longingly.

"Huh? You just ate Sariel leg moment ago."

Yep, Sariel leg. Shio ate all Borg Camlann parts I had two days ago, so I hunted down unregistered Sariel in Valley of the Blue Ice and gathered its part. Now I almost run out of it too.

"Not enough..."

"Damn it, bottomless stomach..." I mumbled softly.

"Damn it!" Shio innocently mimicked my word. Apparently, she also had enhanced senses.

 _'Pfff good job. You've done it once again.'_

"Not again..." I groaned. "Shio, that's a no-no. You mustn't speak like that."

"Why? Because... bad word?"

"No, because you aren't old enough." Nope, I wouldn't fall to the same mistake twice.

"Oh... Um... Okay?"

"Good girl." I rubbed her head.

 _'Sly fox.'_ Rei grumbled.

I would've laughed if I wasn't interrupted by elevator bell and rapid stomping noises in the hall. I recognized these stomps, it was Rina. Half minute later she crashed into my door and opened it roughly, as I predicted.

"Sis! I'm in serious trouble."

"What?! What is it? Explain it!" I jumped to my feet and approached her. Her breath ragged and thin sweat covered her forehead.

"Wait... Let me... catch... my breath..." She took series of deep breath. "Okay... There're two nasty rumors spreading in the Den right now."

"About you?"

"Wrong..." She shook her head. "About us."

"Shit... Someone noticed me?"

"Yes. First rumor is about me being bipolar or having split personality!" Rina yelled.

"You what?!"

"Yes! Some God Eaters said sometimes I act normal, other days I became Prithvi Mata, cold and frightening. Some even said I'm far more dangerous than Soma when I'm like Prithvi Mata! Can you believe those morons!" Rina shouted. Combination of annoyance and embarrassment decorated her face.

"What? Where the hell they got this absurd Prithvi Mata? It hilarious." I tried to restrain my laugh to no avail.

"No! Stop laughing! It's embarrassing..." She pouted at me.

"Hahaha, sorry, sorry." I pressed my hands to my mouth.

"Meanie... This rumor spreading because of you and your disguise." My sister grumbled.

"And the second rumor?" I regained my composure and stopped laughing.

"It's... it's... uh... I..." My sister suddenly became a nervous wreck. Faint pinkish blush climbed her cheek.

"They said... I... in...g ...ma" She whispered it so soft that my enhanced hearing couldn't make it out.

"I can't hear you, speak louder."

"Theysaidimdatingsoma!" My sister sputtered.

"Hah? Speak slowly will ya?"

"Theysaidimdatingsoma" She covered her face with her hands. The blush intensified, now it brightly red.

"They said what? Come on, you can't seriously expecting me to understand that."

"They said... I'm in da...ting... Soma" She mumbled.

My body crashed onto soft carpet on the floor. I laughed, hard, so hard that I fell from my sofa. My sister dating that grumpy man? Ludicrous.

"Why are you... laughing?" White-haired Aragami girl talked amid my laugh.

"Ahahahaha... It's priceless... ahahahaah"

I laughed and laughed. Rolling on the floor, crashing table leg, and stopped after I bumped my head on bed leg. My sister had left her spot. She now lay on my bed, hugging my pillow tightly and muttering incomprehensible word.

"Ahahahaha... aaah, that's pure comedy..." Slowly, I sat up and walked to my bed. "Sorry, I couldn't help it. Can you explain it?"

"Meanie." She turned, facing me, and sat up. "I don't know the details but it started around three days ago. Someone saw you hanging a bag of cookies on his doorknob, then saw him eating cookies on the next day. Put two and two together and you'll get me giving cookies to Soma."

"Wait, they suspect you dating Soma because of single cookie bag?" I stared incredulously at her.

"Yes, it's sounds weird, but that's exactly what happened. I don't know why they cared for such trivial matter."

"Hm... What about the first rumor?" I grinned.

"Do I really have to explain it?" Her voice mixed with annoyance.

"No, obviously it was me that caused it." I rested on fluffy bed beside her. "My bad, I can't turn my Oracle field off."

My hands raised, grasping empty air above me. I examined my hands. Unbelievable, this very same hands I had since I was born now made up entirely from Oracle Cells, yet nothing changed. Tenderness, colors, shape, it remained unchanged. Heck even I couldn't tell the difference, unless I got wounded.

"I'm hungry..." Shio murmured.

"Ah! Sorry I forgot your food." I stood and grabbed my knapsack. There were only two parts left in it. "Here, go ahead."I handed her part of Sariel skirt.

"Thank you..." Shio gladly took it and began eating.

"Erm... Sis? I run out food for Shio." I lifted my near empty knapsack. "Can you help me? Her appetite almost too much for me to handle."

"Again? Alright, I'll call other members."

Once again, First Unit gathered in Dr. Sakaki's office, forming half circle around Shio and Dr. Sakaki. He glanced Shio, then to his notes, then to Shio again.

"Good day to you. Working hard, I imagine, yes? Thanks to you, Shio's natural intelligence has skyrocketed. She is nearly at an adult level of comprehension and conversation." Dr. Sakaki began to speak.

"I did really good! Thank you! Thank you all! Shio bowed at us.

"Hoo, adult level you say?" I looked at Dr. Sakaki. "I had a feeling she grew up, but I didn't think it would be this much."

"It's amazing, you did a good job Shio." My sister patted her head. "Anyway, I called you all here because Rena has no more food for Shio."

"Yep, only single piece of Sariel left, will you help me?" I asked to First Unit.

"I'm in." Kota spoke. "Got nothing to do, plus Rina helped me a lot, so it's time to return the favor."

"I understand. I'll help you." Alisa agreed to help me.

"Of course Rena, of course." Sakuya spoke.

"Leave me out of this." Soma denied my request.

"Nopee, that won't do, you have to come with us Soma." I replied.

"Why should I?" Soma scoffed.

"You owe Shio. She helped me bake cookies for all of you, now it's your turn to help her. Besides..." I smirked at my sister.

"That's an order!" She playfully added.

"Damn you."

We headed to Forgotten Carrier for a 'Date' with Shio. According to Dr. Sakaki many small Aragami like Ogretails and Fallen Zygote roamed in the area. He also mentioned a Fallen Chi-You detected in that place.

The side door closed and helicopter rotor spun, we began our trip using Dr. Sakaki's chopper. There were only six passenger seats so one of us had to stayed behind. A debate between Sakuya and Soma ensured. Soma, being antisocial, wanted to skip this trip. Sakuya on the other hand, need rest. She said she spent whole night worked on various medical paperwork and equipment check. Although I highly doubt it, I didn't hear anyone worked in infirmary last night. Perhaps she also wanted to sent Soma along with us.

Cold wind blew on my face. Not from the window, it came from small port above my head. Unlike most helicopter, this one had air conditioner installed. Felt riding a luxury transport instead of military chopper.

We jumped from chopper as we reached our destination, ruined aircraft carrier on the coast west of the Den. Scent of saltwater and gentle breeze greeted me right when I was landed. This was my first time visiting this place; I looked at my surrounding, memorizing every details.

The sky turned orange, signaling dusk's coming and the beginning of our mission.

It was one-sided massacre. Couple of Ogretails, Fallen Zygotes, and a Fallen Chi-You against four highly trained God Eaters and two special Aragami? We'd won the battle the moment we reached this place. I was glad having friends at my side, they helped me hunted down any fleeing Aragami.

They scampered away like there was no tomorrow, undoubtedly from my Oracle field. Actually, there was indeed no tomorrow, for them anyway. Unlike others, Fallen Chi-You stood defiantly, willing to take a chance and fought us instead of ran away. Of course, it became my newest pincushion after I returned its lightning ball with waves of spikes.

My knapsack swelled from Fallen Chi-You remains. This should be enough for the next few days, perhaps. I regrouped with others at the far end of Forgotten Carrier. They were gathering usable materials from dead Aragami before gave the rest to Shio.

"Let's eat! It's time to eat! Can I eat it?" Shio looked at numbers of Aragami corpses before her, and turned at me.

"Yep, go on, eat anything you like." I nodded.

"Let's eat!" Shio sat and ate Ogretail body. She neatly tore it before stuffed it into her mouth. So she did remember my lesson about being messy. She might be an Aragami, but that didn't excuse her from proper table manner.

"Eat with me Rena?" Shio invited me.

"Why not."

The ties that binded me shattered. It disappeared along with false restraint and misguided self-loathing. For the first time since I was changed, I truly enjoyed eating Aragami. I carved a chunk using smaller version of my blade and ate beside Shio.

 _'So you finally come to term with your new body. Took you long enough.'_

'Yep, I found the truth. No matter what am I, I'm still human at heart.'

 _'Congratulations. I was worried about your mental state, a needless thought it seems.'_

'Hm? About my mental state?'

 _'You can only take so much self-hatred before you break apart.'_

'That's surprisingly insightful of you.'

 _'Human interaction is the only thing I don't understand.'_

Ogretail body got smaller with each bit we took. Suddenly, Shio stopped eating. Her head snapped at Soma as if she remembered something important.

"Soma! Soma, you wanna come eat too?"

"Damn it, she stepped on landmine." I groaned quietly.

"Hehe, whoa there Shio. We don't eat Aragami. We're human, you see?" Kota replied.

"Human? But... But... Um... Soma's Aragami says he's hungry and he wants to eat." Shio unknowingly stepped on even bigger landmine.

"What the-?!" Kota looked at Soma.

"What? Can you explain it Shio?" Alisa asked.

"Shut up! That's... I'm not a monster! I'm nothing like you! Nothing!" Soma barked out. He abruptly turned around and walked away.

"The hell man?!"

"Just be silent for once! I'm so sick of this!" Soma promptly left us.

"Soma! Um... I was alone for a long time." Shio followed Soma from a distance.

"I didn't have anybody at all... So now... Um... Is that right? So now... So now, I'm happy. Because I found you, Soma. I'm happy because I found all of you. My friends." Shio attempted to gather his attention, which worked, Soma stopped walking.

"And because I... So... So now, I get to... Um... So now..." Shio tried to speak.

A heart-wrenching sight. Shio exerted her limited vocabulary, speaking in broken sentences, all because she wanted to apologize to certain grumpy man. And the said grumpy man coldly resumed his walk and left us.

"Hey, Soma, get back here! Come on! Be moodier, Soma, damn." Kota grumbled.

"Sis? Explain it to Kota and Alisa. I'll follow him."

"Alright." She nodded at me.

I trailed behind him, following him to far end of Forgotten Carrier. I crept silently, avoiding making noises and kept my distance. If what Dr. Sakaki said was true, he noticed me the moment he left the group. Still, nothing wrong with trying.

He climbed a platform on other side of Forgotten Carrier, the same platform we landed on when we began our mission.

Soma stopped. He turned around, facing at my direction, and shouted. "Stop hiding! I know you're following me."

As I thought. Having such massive Oracle field could be annoying sometimes. I stood up, smirking at him from behind car wreck.

"You got me." I sprinted and jumped, landed few feet away from him.

"Why the hell are you following me? Get lost!" He glared at me.

"Nopee." I sat on platform edge, watching my sister talked to Alisa and Kota. "I'm here to check on you. You seem... distressed? Shio didn't do it on purpose, you know?"

"Why do you care?" It was more like mockery instead of genuine question.

"I care because we're alike, you, and me, and Shio."

"Shut up! I'm not a monster like you." He barked.

"Nope, we aren't. We are human in inhuman body."

"You don't know anything about me." Soma walked to the edge of platform, preparing to jumped and left me, again.

"P73."

Soma instantly stopped. He doubled his glare. "What did you say?" Pure rage seeped into each word he spoke.

"P73, Managarm Project, I kn-"

Soma snatched my collar, lifting me off.

"How did you know that?! ANSWER ME!"

"Not telling ya." I grinned in delight. Few more buttons to push and he would snap. "I know how your father, director Schicksal, agreed to the project. I also know how you killed your mo-"

"SHUT UP!"

He slammed me down, creating large crater behind me. "You know nothing!" He pounced me, pinning me down.

"I killed them!" He punched my stomach. "I killed Eric!" He smashed my head. "I killed Lindow!" He struck my jaw. "I KILLED MY MOTHER!" He pounded me with all strength he had, causing even larger crater appeared on my back.

Glad I was an Aragami, if not I would be reduced to bloody pulp. His strength way beyond anyone I'd meet.

"I killed them all... I'm a monster."

Soma had exhausted his energy and his rage. He stopped beating me, now looking at me with ragged breath. I locked my fingers behind his head, pulling his head onto my stomach, and ruffled his hair. "It's alright Soma, let it all out. I know how it feels like, to survived alone where the others don't."

"You know nothing about it." His tone still carried bit of edge in it, but there wasn't any rage left.

"Wrong. I know it too well. My sister and I, we're the only one left from our village. Their dying scream haunted us for months. Don't blame yourself for something you can't help, Soma. You're not a monster, we are not. We stay human as long as our heart stay human."

We understood the true burden of survivor's guilt on that night, the night Lindow saved us from our ruined village. Their agony followed us in our sleep, becoming our nightmare. Their last word haunted us in our wake, whispering and repeating in our mind. Sometimes we wondered, why did we survived? Why they left us behind? Wasn't it better to just... go together?

Smell of Saltwater, dust, and sweat surrounded me. I kept my arms around him, listening his heartbeat silently. Rapid drumming at first, then it slowing down as he calmed himself, then returned to normal after some time. How nice, mine had stopped working almost two months ago, yeah, ever since that day.

"Guys, where are you?"

I heard Kota shouted. Did they come for us? Anyway, it would be bad if they found us cuddling together. We scrambled to our feet and brushed our cloth, removing debris and dust that covered us.

"Up here." I waved my hand.

"So... can you please forgive her?" I looked at Soma.

He turned his head away from me and grumbled, which I took as yes. Otherwise, he would yell and cursed me.

"What's going on?" Alisa gasped in shock.

"What happened?" My sister asked me.

Craters, cracked floor, and fist sized hole decorated this platform. First Unit stared in disbelief at destruction we inadvertently caused.

"Well... Uh... you see, we might had a bit of heated debate... I guess?" I smiled sheepishly at her.

"Debate?! Somehow I seriously doubt it." She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes.

"Oh look, our time is up, gotta call the evac" I exaggeratedly reached my headset and pressed call button. "Hey doc, it's finished, send the chopper."

"Now you ignoring me..." My sister mumbled.

Dr. Sakaki's chopper arrived. We took our ride back to the Den. While we were on our way, my conversation with Rina resurfaced. Conversation about two absurd rumors repeated in my head, it tickled my curiosity.

"Alisa? I wanna ask something."

"Yes? What is it?" Alisa replied.

"The recent rumor, it about Rina?"

"Why you suddenly ask that?" My sister interrupted me.

"Just wonderin, why people cared about small details like cookies."

"You don't know?" Kota asked. "Rina is celebrity among God Eaters."

"Hah? Celebrity? How?" My eyebrow arched.

"I agree with this... brute." Alisa spoke. "Your sister is quite famous."

"Me? Famous? How?" My sister copied my tone.

"Everyone already know your achievement. Won a battle against two Gboro-Gboro, fought and destroyed a simulated Vajra, successfully killed a Prithvi Mata, lastly, severely wounding the newest black Vajra. You've done all of it alone, no less." Alisa summarized.

"Yeah! Prodigy of the First Unit!" Kota exclaimed.

"What? No it's-"

I shook my head, stopping her from denying it. Nothing wrong with bit of fame, it might come in handy one day. Not like I had any use for it. In fact, I was grateful. I hate being the center of attention.

"That's why they stared me like I'm some kind of rare animal yesterday..." My sister grumbled.

After around ten minutes, we returned to Dr. Sakaki's office. Alisa, Kota, and Soma took a seat on the couch while I leaned on the door, watching Shio rolled over the carpet, again.

Shio turned, leaned, rolled, then stopped. She sat up and watched Alisa, then turned to Kota, then back to Alisa. I guess her curiosity kicked in. She walked to Alisa and stopped in front of her, eyeing her from head to chest.

"It went well, yes?"

"Yes doc. We killed five Fallen Zygotes, six Ogretails, and one Fallen Chi-You. We also gathered everything we could use before handling the rest to Shio." My sister gave Dr. Sakaki a quick recap.

"As expected, although sending entire First Unit plus Rena and Shio seems bit-"

"Eeep!" Alisa yelped, gathering everyone's attention at once.

I almost laughed. Shio's curiosity went too far this time, she groped Alisa's chest.

"Wh-What?! I... Ah..." Alisa's cheek turned pink. She watched Shio groped her chest, unable to even retaliate.

"Soft and soft!" Shio squished it, earning another moan from Alisa.

"Pffff... Ahahahaha." My legs wobbled and gave away. I fell on my back, laughing at ridiculous scene before me.

Alisa crossed her arms, covering her chest immediately after Shio stopped fondling her.

Shio glanced at Kota. She slowly walked to him.

"Ouch... Ow... Ow..." Kota yelled.

Shio slapped his shoulders repeatedly.

"Hard and hard! Huuuuug!" Shio wobbled her head, thinking over it deeply. She turned around, facing Rina's back, then hugged her waist.

"Ah! You surprised me, Shio."

"Soft and soft!" Shio tightened her hold on Rina.

"Stop it! That tickles." My sister laughed.

"Huuuuug!" Shio released her and took few steps back. "That's weird... That's so weird..." She swung her head.

"I'm pretty sure you're the weird one here." Kota spoke.

"This is new indeed! She's starting to draw conclusions based on unique differences. She's finding specificity" Dr. Sakaki said.

"What? Between all of us?" Alisa asked.

"Indeed so! She's finding the uniqueness between people. Race, gender, personality, body-type! She's piqued by diversity, I believe!"

'Is it really that amazing?' I spoke in my mind.

 _'Yes. We Aragami have no gender. She beginning to understand something she never has, it's incredible. Think of it as human trying to understand Aragami instinct. Can they do that?'_

'No, I don't think so.'

"... That being said, I have new request. Would you mind helping to... dress Shio?" Dr. Sakaki suddenly asked.

"Sorry, once more... You want to dress her?" Sakuya said.

"Oh don't even bother trying it." I interrupted them.

"Eh? Why not?" My sister asked.

"You see, Shio absolutely hate clothes, saying it was scratchy. I've tried Oracle infused clothing too. Guess what, she threw it away."

"No, no, no! No more scratchy and coarse!" Shio shouted.

"See?"

[Rena? Can you hear me?] Licca called me from my headset.

"Yep, what's up?"

[Come to our workshop, I have important update about our project.]

"I don't play dress-up. I'm leaving." Soma left us.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna be next to useless. My style is unique, and Bugarally was getting good. Peace!" Kota exclaimed. He scurried away, following Soma.

"And Licca called me. Okay, see ya!" I left Dr. Sakaki's office.

The elevator bell rung, marking my arrival in engineer department three floors below Dr. Sakaki's office. I strolled to our workshop. Lately, I rarely came to this place, I spent most of my free time taken care of Shio instead.

I pushed metal door leading to our workshop, and immediately greeted with surreal view.

Licca stood proudly and beamed at me. Beside her lay fully assembled half organic Link Support Device. It was a big gray and black block, taller than both of us, and cladded in metal frame. It had four God Arc slots, one on each corners.

I knew how Link Support Device looked like when it finished, but nothing could beat the feeling of saw it directly. I touched the metal block, exploring every nook and cranny of its smooth surface.

"It's finally finished..." I couldn't hide the pride in my voice.

"Technically, not yet. We haven't entered field test phase yet. As for now, I believe this device is ready for it." Licca explained.

"Thank you Licca. Leave the field testing to me, I'll find the best spot for it."

"No, Thank you, Rena. You've made my dream come true." Licca gently held my shoulder.

"Let's do one last test run before entering field testing phase." I suggested.

I walked to God Arc storage facility, grabbing Rina's God Arc, and bring it back to our workshop. Her blade plunged deep into God Arc slot on one of Device corner. I plugged cables from nearby port into God Arc Core and moved it in place before gave a thumb up to Licca. She stroked her keyboard and intensely watched monitor beside Link Support Device.

"Initialize starting sequence..." Licca announced. The device hummed. Four black pillars on each side and its central pillar rose, exposing more of its red organic cable like component.

"Engaging God Arc lock..." Three pair of metal bar rose from inside of the port, interlocking with God Arc and firmly secured it in place.

"Scanning God Arc Core..." Yellow light flooded God Arc slot, turning the God Arc Core into orange crystal ball.

"Energy booster type Core confirmed, reducing effect radius down to ten meters. Engaging main capacitors... now." Yellow streaks glowed and crawled, gradually climbed on black pillars. Soft hum earlier grew stronger and steadily rose in pitch.

"Firing Link Support pulse in... 3... 2... 1... Fire!"

Wave of Oracle energy swept throughout our workshop, engulfing us and entire God Arc storage facility.

Energy. Pure energy raged in me, filling every inch of my body with dense power. The wave energized me down to my Core, figuratively and literally.

"Whoaaaa, this is awesome!" I jumped and run around in excitement. "Feels like I have endless energy!"

"I was wondering if it worked on you since your body is different from us. Luckily, it did."

"Yeah! It worked perfectly! Wohoooo!"

It took a whole hour to spent my extra energy. Even then, it still left a piece of excitement in me. I never expected it packed such intense power, even stronger than Aragami Core. Sadly, it didn't last long. If it were a Core, it would stimulate me for entire day at very least.

I packed up and left workshop after I cleaned our mess. Normally I would stay bit longer, performing last check on maintenance equipment. But I felt restless. I remembered Dr. Sakaki and others attempted to dress Shio up, and I had bad feeling about this.

My pace increased and I glided across cold metal floor, rushing to elevator at the corner of Engineer department. I punched elevator call button and immediately set it to Laboratory section. The door closed, taking me to Dr. Sakaki's office above.

There were only two persons left in Dr. Sakaki's office, my sister and Dr. Sakaki. No sign of Alisa, Sakuya, or even Shio, and that wasn't a good sign.

"Oh, you're back." My sister greeted me.

"I think the most interesting quality is Shio's genetic makeup. So adaptable, so diverse. It might go a long way in securing a bright new future for humanity." Dr. Sakaki resumed his lecture.

Suddenly, I heard a loud crash, followed by couple of bang, and an explosion from behind the red metal door. It went open, exposing two figures covered in dirt and grime, coughing and choking from rubble.

"Um... Sh-Shio may have, uh..." Alisa stuttered.

"Crashed through the wall and fled..." Sakuya added.

"Greaaaat... Just like what I did almost two months ago." I pressed my palm to my forehead, attempting to ease mental exhaustion that about to set in.


	14. Aragami and Runaway Shio

"Heeeey! Get back here!"

"No! Itchy and coarse!"

Shio blasted a hole through her room moment ago and fled the Den. I gave chase at once, but she dashed away the moment she saw me.

I pursued Shio who now ran through Outer Ghetto sector E. She was considerably faster than me. I could keep up just because her curiosity. She would slow down occasionally, examining mundane thing like market, people, or normal food, only to resumed her sprint once she realized I gained on her.

Dark alleyways, stinky backstreet, or even stomach churning drain didn't stop her. She kept rushing forward, to Anti-Aragami wall. Shio stopped at the base, gazing tall black wall before her. She raised her hands and stabbed it into the wall.

"Shit... Licca gonna kill me for this."

I followed her, carefully grabbing holes she created. One set of holes was bad enough. Two? That would be the end of me. Shio already leaped when I reached the top. I helplessly watched her silhouette shrunk from the edge of Anti-Aragami wall. I could match her speed in narrow alley filled with distraction, but definitely not on open ground like that.

"Doc? Shio is on the run. She's heading to Temple Area... I think."

[Can you catch her?]

"No can do. She's faster than me. I'll try to track her."

[I see. Keep me updated.]

I jumped, landed hundred meters below in small crater. Shio had vanished but her scent lingered. A race against the clock. In enclosed room scent remained for extended period, but not in open field like this, wind could sweep it away in no time.

Shio's scent led me to the border of snowy pine forest in Temple Area. Pine fragrance in this place masked her scent, effectively prevented me from tracking her.

I would've lost her if not for her footprints that clearly visible among snowy grasses. Something about her footprints bothering me, but I can't quite put my fingers on.

 _'Hmm... these footprints...'_

'You notice it too? Something is amiss, but I can't remember it.'

 _'Yes, this is the same footprints I found right after I recovered from our starvation.'_

'It can't be! That means... Shio was the one who saved Lindow!'

 _'She also with us when we lost control. Her footprints surrounded us when I regained consciousness.'_

'I don't know if I should praise her for her bravery, or scolding her stupidity. Approaching me when I'm starving is a good way to die.'

 _'Yet she survived.'_

'She got lucky, that's all.'

Cold snow followed me in my stride as I slipped past dense forest, following her footsteps. She was close, I could sense her presence around Tranquil Temple. Soon, I would find out his fate, and that made me anxious. I knew I should steel myself and prepared my mind, for I would very likely met his grave instead, yet a tiny piece of my mind foolishly hoped for his survival.

Shio presence grew stronger, I could pinpoint her location the moment I entered Tranquil Temple. She was hiding in ruined temple, north side of Tranquil Temple. Fortunately, all Aragami in Temple Area fled, including Sariel, the only large Aragami around this place. I strolled across Tranquil Temple unhindered and soon reached ruined temple.

"Shio? Come out now, I know you're here."

"Not here."

"Yes you're here." I chuckled. My hands pressed hard on rotten creaky altar, cautiously climbing it. I took a peek behind damaged statue's back, and found the object of my affection.

Shio fruitlessly hid on other side of the statue. Her hard white hair poking out of it. A clueless child indeed, she didn't realize her hair standing out, nor the fact I could sense her from far away.

I brushed half-melted snow from her hair and ruffled it. "Don't run away like this, we are worried about you."

"No, I don't want it, itchy and coarse." Shio shook her head.

"You're a hopeless child, you know that? If you don't like it, just say so, we won't force it on you."

My legs dangled on altar edge, kicking air aimlessly. As usual, Shio glued to my left arm, resting her soft-yet-hard hair on my shoulder.

"Shio? When the first time we met?"

"Um... Uh... on your hungry day..."

"Hungry day? So you did come when I was starving. Why did you do that?" I stared right into her eyes.

"Um... Because... you are hungry, so hungry, and that made me feel scratchy." Shio tilted her head.

I tugged her into my embrace, cuddling and spoiling her. "Thank you, but please, don't do that again."

"I did something bad..." Shio frowned.

"No! You did a good job." I reflexively shouted.

"Then... why don't do that?"

"It's dangerous. I'm not really sane back then, I could easily... kill you." A shiver ran through my spine. The very thought of killing her alone was chilling me to the Core. I crossed my arms in front of her, pulling her deeper. "Hm... Have you met Lindow?"

"Lin... dow?" Shio stared quizzically.

"Yep, big man with black messy hair wearing brown coat. I think you met him in City of Mercy."

Her eyes widen and glowed with speck of recognition. "Yeah!"

"Great! Can you bring me to him?"

Two opposing feelings clashed with every step we took. Relief and dread. Shio guided me, passing dense pine trees, crawling through thick bushes, jumping across crags, and crossing frozen river, until we reached far end of pine forest.

A remote place, isolated from the rest of Temple area, so remote that not even a single Aragami inhabit this place. No wonder I couldn't find him, this place was right off the map. We walked along small frozen river, a bit further to the south, and eventually, we reached our destination.

A small wooden cabin between pine trees.

Dread and relief from earlier returned two-fold. Right now I wanted to flee, escaping the harsh truth that I would find his body in there. But I couldn't forgive myself if I did that.

Rusty hinges creaked, then snapped. I put too much effort and ended up opening the weathered door permanently. Musty air welcomed our arrival. My hands clenched, I took a deep breath, calming myself for traumatizing sight that about to haunted me forever. Step by step, I braced myself and peeked into the cabin.

Nothing.

Nothing but normal old dark cabin. Degraded furniture, dusty floor, cobweb filled corners. To my relief and grief, Lindow wasn't here. No sign of his body nor his grave, but at the same time no sign of him either. The more I ventured into this cabin the more I believed he wasn't here.

"Huuuugh... That's weird..." Shio dashed around, pushing furniture and examining every corner, looking for something.

"Nobody is here, are you sure this is the right place?"

"Yeah! That's weird... where... Oh!" Shio picked a piece of cloth from corner and showed it to me.

I held it in my hand, analyzing it. A piece of rough... brown rag? I wasn't sure about its color, my sight tinted in bluish hue from night vision. I opened my palm and shot a questioning gaze at Shio. "What's wrong with this?"

Shio promptly pushed it to my face, urging me to... sniff it? I did as she asked and recoiled out of surprise.

A faint but undoubtedly Lindow's scent. However, his scent mixed with foreign scent. Whatever bit of relief I had vanished, leaving only growing sense of dread. I knew this foreign scent, it was Aragami scent. Human and Aragami scent mixed together, that could only mean one thing... Infection.

'Please tell me there's a way to stay sane after infection?' My desperate voice sounded like plea instead of questions.

 _'No, I don't_ _think so. Your case is special.'_

My world shattered. I'd steeled my mind, readying myself for the fact that he died. He died. In the worst way possible. My legs buckled. I slumped down, shakily holding scrap of coat closer to my chest. Two little pale arms wrapped me, comforting me, and I found myself burrowed into her chest, seeking refuge from cold reality in my hand.

A hum. A soft hum echoed in empty cabin. It wasn't even a hum, just random tone bunched together, yet it soothe my pain. Shio stroked my head and held me closer, humming in my ears. Pathetic, I should be the one that protecting her, not the other way around.

How long I was huddling her? Minutes? Hours? Concept of time flew out of the window while I sought comfort from her. I left the lonely cabin with Lindow's last memento, a piece of his tattered coat.

Couple of hours, our little trip ate couple of hours at very least. The sun had long gone, replaced with countless glittering star on the dark sky. I sat beside Shio on temple altar, snacking piece of Cocoon Maiden I found on our way back. Dr. Sakaki told me first unit had already on their way and would reach us in a matter of minutes.

One... two... three... I heard three people landed from nearby chopper. Yeah, they were here.

We stood on temple roof, watching them fight their way to ruined temple. They fought a herd of Ogretails and Sariel that fled from me. After quick consideration, I chose to stay. Odds were against me. If I joined them that Sariel would fly, running away in terror, effectively sent their efforts down the drain. And I absolutely didn't want another bird hunt, or butterfly hunt in this case. Thus, I decided to butt in only if they were losing this fight, which probably wouldn't happen.

"Help them?" Shio created her signature white blade and squirmed in place, ready to jumped in anytime.

"No." I shook my head. "We will cause unnecessary distraction for them. Besides, they're nearly done. Look."

Herd of Ogretails now lay on the snow, battered and dead. Some suffered multiple cuts, others riddled with bullet holes. Sariel from before also fare no better. Its stubby legs armor broke apart, its skirt like waist torn to shred, and half of its crown gone. With such heavy wound, it wouldn't be surprising if that giant butterfly drop dead immediately.

I left Shio behind and hid in the corner of ruined temple yard, waiting for Soma that surely drawn to our presence. My hunch was right, my ears registered distinct heavy footsteps coming at me, too heavy for either my sister or lousy yellow capped boy. Certain grumpy man appeared from nearby stairs and approached me.

"Yo grumpy. You surely took your sweet time, huh?"

"Shut up! Where is she?"

"In there." I grinned and jabbed my thumb at ruined temple behind me.

Soma still act all tough and barked at me, but his tone didn't hold hostility or even edge, only plain loud yell. He did soften up to us, or at least to me and Shio. I reached ruined temple and sensed Shio, she hid behind broken statue.

"Are you in here, Shio?" Soma asked rhetorically.

"Nope! Not in here!"

I chuckled. Yeah, a clueless child at heart.

"All right, playtime's over. We have to go back to the Den."

"I don't wanna wear the scratchy thing..." Shio spoke behind statue.

"Heh... still an Aragami, just moving on instinct."

That was my chance to retreat. I crawled back, slowly and steadily, allowing some privacy between them and sat silently on temple corner.

"S-Soma?" Shio peeked. "Are you still mad at me? You were... You were really mad before..."

"Yeah... It wasn't you. Okay?"

"Soma, be honest. I did something that's bad, didn't I? Mm... I don't wanna be scratchy to Soma... I did something wrong... didn't I?"

"Listen to you. Come so far... If I could only live for a minute like you... Forget myself and forget all of this for even just a minute... Heh... I probably like it too much."

"Soma? Do you taste good? I don't know if you do..." Shio stared innocently at him.

"Hehe... Well, okay. I guess there's only one way to find that out, isn't there?" Soma chuckled.

My jaw dropped. Soma laughed?! That giant antisocial ice block actually laughed?! This went better than I expected. Our destructive 'debate' began to show beneficial result.

"She was right. We're alike. Simply by virtue of only three of us in the world." Soma admitted.

"So we are the same!"

"Only because we're stuck and lost..."

"Then let's go find ourselves!" Shio raised her fist.

"Come on with that..."

I caught a glimpse of his blush. My brain stopped working, trying to figure out whether this was real or not. I slapped my cheek. No pain nor throb, yep, definitely a dream.

 _'What are you doing?'_

'Nothing but a dream. Nothing but a dream Nothing but a dream.'

 _'Idiot. Forget about dreaming, we can't even sleep in the first place.'_

'Nothing but a dream. Nothing but a dream Nothing but a dream.'

 _'Stupid host.'_

"Shiiiiiooo! Come on out, Shio!"

Nothing but a dream. Nothing but- huh

Kota's voice broke my trance. Shio and Soma stood at temple entrance, waiting for others to catch up with them. I moved closer, standing beside Soma.

"Finally snapped out of it?" Soma glanced me.

"Huh? Oh? I had a very strange dream... Nahh it shouldn't be possible. I was dreaming about you being lovey-dovey with Shio, laughing, and blushing. A strange dream, no?"

I heard a muffled 'gah' like sound from his chest. Soma robotically turned his head forward and tucked his head deeper into his hood. A bead of sweat trailed down from his forehead into his shirt. Soma was nervous? Why? Unless... No way...

"THAT WAS REAL?!" I exclaimed.

"Not. A. Word!" Soma roughly grabbed my shoulder and glared. Mix of annoyance embarrassment written in his face.

"You got it boss." I grinned mischievously. Sureee, not a word, only a bit of resonance with my sister perhaps.

"Damn you." Soma let my shoulders go and resumed his stance, calmly watching entryway, as if our conversation never exist. "You know what, Shio? It's a vaccination to them... but those guys? They have to inject themselves with Aragami cells, just to have the hope of surviving..."

"Yeah, and turned into Aragami along the way." I added.

"That's not-"

"Don't bother it. I've accepted this body. I still hate the one who did this though." I shrugged. "Anyway, let's go home, they must be worried about us."

We regrouped with my sister and Kota, then we called for transport. A twinge of jealousy stuck in my mind, Shio clung to Soma instead of me. I knew it wasn't right, so I dislodged that feeling out of my head.

We arrived and parted ways. Soma and Kota returned to their own quarter while my sister, Shio, and I returned to my room in Dr. Sakaki's office. My sister went straight to bathroom after we entered my room, washing her bloodstained body and uniform. I sat on sofa, nibbling a chunk of Fallen Chi-You wing while pondering over recent event. I shouldn't eat Shio's food but I had one knapsack full of it, a bite or two wouldn't hurt.

This whole mess happened because Alisa and Sakuya decided it was a bright idea to disregard my warning and dress Shio up. Shio ran away, unwilling to wear 'scratchy thing' as she said, and took refugee in Temple Area. That means everything stemmed from Shio's hate toward clothing. Was there any way to solve it? Non scratchy dress perhaps?

"Hungry... I'm hungry..." Shio whined pitifully. She looked at Chi-You wing in my hand with her wide, begging eyes.

"Eeh? Don't give me that stare... Sorry, sorry." I snatched part of Fallen Chi-You leg from my knapsack.

"Thank you!" Shio gratefully took it and began eating. Her whine changed into chirp with single chunk of food, how simple.

Bathroom door opened. My sister finished her bath and now sat on the bed, drying her hair. I grabbed Shio's hand, pulling her into the bathroom.

Warm water and steam flooded my bathroom. One hand plunged into bathtub, testing its temperature. It was warm... or was it hot? I could no longer measure temperature. Well, didn't matter to us.

"Bath!"

"Nono don't!"

Too late. Shio giggled and dived right to the tub. I wiped bubbly water on my face and looked at my uniform. Soaked and sticky, from warm water and from mud. Annoyance seeped in. Shio must learn self-restraint, she jumped each time we took her for a bath. Better yet, learn to take a bath alone.

"Don't do that. It's not the proper way to take a bath."

"I... Um... I did bad..." Her cheerful grin vaporized, leaving only small frown on her face. "I... Uh... I..."

"I'm sorry. That's what you say if you make a mistake."

"I... I'm sorry."

"It's alright, I forgive you. Just don't do that again, okay?"

"Okay!" She chirped.

Shio hummed as I dried her hair. She liked humming it seems, even though it just haphazard string of tunes.

We returned to my room, back to our mundane activity, reading maintenance manual and scribbling doodles. Shio deeply absorbed in it, sometimes she stopped and tapped her finger on chin, thinking for the next lines and dots.

A painting, not doodles. Shio drawn a painting about Soma and I. A messy painting, but still a painting nonetheless. She dropped her crayon and lifted her messy painting, proudly showing it to me.

"Good job." I patted her head.

"Yeah!"

Morning arrived, my sister aroused from her slumber, yawning loudly and stretching her limbs. She rubbed her eyes before greeted me and Shio.

"Morning sis, Shio."

"Yep, morning."

"Mor...ning?" Shio tilted her head.

"Yeah, that's a greeting. Anyway, wash yourself, I'll make some breakfast in the meantime." I spoke to my sister.

She went to the bathroom and I went to the kitchen, that what I planned. She did go to bathroom, but I stopped in the middle of my track, someone knocks my door.

Soma, there was no mistaking it. He smelled like normal God Eater but gave off Aragami'ish presence, obviously from his P73. I opened my door and greeted the grumpy man.

"Morning grumpy, come on in."

He shoved a bag full of... canned drinks? at my face and sat on sofa.

"Morning Soma... Um... is that right?" Shio mumbled.

"That's right, good job." I gave her a thumb up. "And what the hell is this?" I lifted his plastic bag.

"Canned drinks. What do you think it is?"

"I know that! Why do you give me this?"

"It's a gift, obviously." Soma turned his head, looking at Shio who now looking at him.

"Oh okay, thanks... WHAAAT?!" I exclaimed. That grumpy man gave me a present? THE HELL?!

I ran to his side and tugged his hood.

"What are you doing?" Soma sounded a bit irritated.

I examined every details of his face. His whitish blond hair, his blue eyes, his cheek, his jawline. No sign of injury or whatsoever.

"Back off!" Soma barked in annoyance. He pushed me away.

"Are you okay Soma? Did you hit your head or something?"

"I'm leaving." Soma stood up and began to walk.

"Heeey, I'm just kidding... Sorry, sorry!" I dragged him back to sofa.

My room got many visitors lately. Sometimes Kota, Alisa, and Sakuya came to visit Shio, teaching her about daily conversation and manners. Now certain grumpy man joined the list.

I dug through plastic bag, taking it out one by one. Canned coffee, canned juice, canned tea, and strange pink can that I never saw it before.

"Hm? What's this?" I examined unknown drink closely. It had 'First Love Juice' printed on its side.

"Oh, First Love Juice. Dr. Sakaki made that bizarre drink." My sister explained.

"Bizarre?"

"Yes, it tastes like copper... No, more like metal. Why don't you try it out?"

"Let's see..." Can lid opened with loud pop and delicious juice-like smell leaked from it. Too bad, I couldn't taste normal food. "Alright, this is it."

I almost spat it out of surprise. It wasn't bland, in fact, it was good. Heck, it even better than common Aragami like Ogretails. I drank the rest of it and tossed it away.

"Wow, that stuff is good."

"Eh?" My sister took a can and drank it. Her expression turned sour and her lips twitched. "Urghh... I'm going to bathroom." She put her can on table and sprinted to bathroom, brushing her mouth.

"Hm... Tasty..."

I turned around and found Shio crawled to table edge, taking First Love Juice my sister left behind and sniffing it. She carefully licked it and held the juice in her mouth. Another lick, then sip, then she greedily drank it, down to the last drop.

"It taste good..." Shio smiled and wiped her mouth. She reached for another unopened can and drank it.

"Um... I... huh...?" Shio stared at sealed can lid quizzically.

"You must open it first, here, I'll show you." I held her finger and placed it on can lever. A pop later her eyes glittered with satisfaction and she began sipping it.

"Thank you..."

"Nothing special." Soma tossed his empty First Love Juice can to nearby trash bin. He turned his music player on and listened to his headphones.

"What... that?" Shio mesmerized by Soma's headphones. She crawled closer, drawn by its melody.

"What do you want?" Soma eyed Aragami girl who slowly crept to him.

"That..." Shio pointed at his headphones.

"Not happening. Go away."

Shio really good at getting what she wanted. After series of whining, begging, and asking, Soma relented, allowing her to listen to his headphones. I chuckled at them. My prediction few days ago was correct. Shio pried his sealed heart and brought his true self bit by bit.

Shio spent her morning listened to his headphones, humming and singing along with the melody. Skidding on carpet, dancing on wooden floor, and danced on tiles. Soma had given up on his headphones, leaving it hanging on Shio's head.

Afternoon greeted us in form of certain scientist stood on doorway.

"Good afternoon, meet me in my office, I have an important announcement. Although, I don't expect to see you here." Dr. Sakaki looked at Soma.

"Shut up."

Shio, My sister, Soma, and I moved to Dr. Sakaki's office and sat on the couch, waiting for his announcement. He scanned us one by one, writing on his note, and back to his computer, typing down something.

"Spit it out old man, I don't have all day." Soma impatiently spoke.

"I will announce it once all member of first unit present. In the meantime I have question for you Rena. I have finished scanning Bias Factor in samples you brought to me week ago. Two of it have identical Bias Factor with you, can you explain it?"

Cat out of the bag, huh? Didn't matter to me. "Yep, it's part of my Aragami form, my wrist blade and booster pack."

Dr. Sakaki's eyes narrowed even further. He scrutinized me for a while. "And you never say anything about it."

"Well, you never ask it in the first place. It's my turn to ask. What's up with this First Love Juice?"

"It is pinnacle of my creation. After spending countless hours in my la-"

"Shut it doc, just tell me the ingredients." I interrupted him.

"Deactivated Oracle Cells." Dr. Sakaki ominously replied.

"As I thought..." I grumbled. Yeah, it makes sense now, it explained perfectly why it tasted good to me and Shio.

"WHAAT?! Isn't that dangerous? Why did you do that?" My sister yelled.

"Not at all. I found a method to disable Oracle Cells. Not in large quantity, but enough to be used as ingredients. As for why... You know all God Eaters have Oracle Cells in their body, yes?"

"Wait... Are you saying that is kind of energy drink for us?"

"Indeed. Oracle Cells in your body will devour those disabled Oracle Cells, gaining energy and stabilize themselves as result. That drink will re-energize you and delaying your Bias injection." Dr. Sakaki explained.

"But what about other people? It will be disastrous if they drink it too."

"No, it is completely inactive Oracle Cells, incapable to spread out or devour other cells. Normal people can't digest this and will be harmlessly flushed out of their system."

"It tastes like copper..." My sister mumbled.

"That is something beyond me. I've tried using artificial flavors and natural additives, and it still has its metallic taste."

"Pardon our intrusion." Alisa entered Dr. Sakaki's office, followed by Kota and Sakuya.

"Ah, perfect timing. Now all of you have gathered, I'll make announcement. We found the Aragami that killed Lindow." Dr. Sakaki gave us a paper contained its picture.

My eyes widen as I recognized that Aragami. "This Aragami!" I shouted.

"Correct. We name it Dyaus Pita. Another Vajra variant and close relative to Prithvi Mata. Like Vajra, it utilize electricity as its weapon."

"How do you know this Aragami is the culprit?"

"We decoded Bias Factor in samples you brought to us week ago and recalibrate our radar according to it. We pick up a brief signal coming from its body..."

"That signal is Lindow's Armlet..." I nodded. I understood the source of Lindow's infection now. He fought a Prithvi Mata and won, only to be ambushed by Dyaus Pita. He fought and managed to drive it away at cost of his arm or armlet, thus suffered infection. Then, Shio found and took him to remote place in Temple Area. He left that cabin after regained consciousness or... succumbed to infection.

"Where is it? Where is this Aragami?" Sakuya eagerly.

"I don't know. We haven't done with decoding its Bias Factor. Once we finished with it, we can track it down immediately. It should take no more than three days." Dr. Sakaki explained.

Finally, a chance for vengeance. Soon, I would face it once again.

'Rei? Can I beat this Dyaus Pita?'

 _'That black Aragami from before? I don't know. You are stronger than before, so does that Aragami. I can calculate our chance once we meet it.'_


	15. Aragami in Field Test

My eyelids blinked, and blinked again, trying to dispel illusion before me. The said illusion was certain grumpy man carried a pink cardboard box filled with 'Energy Drink'. He shoved it to my face and pushed me away from doorway, entering my room uninvited and sat on sofa.

"Don't get your hopes up. It's a surplus from old man." Soma denied before I had a chance to ask it.

"Awww I was wondering if you brought it for me." I grinned.

"Not a chance!" Soma glanced my room, looking for something or someone.

"Looking for someone? Some Aragami girl perhaps? Well, she's not here. Rina took her to Licca moment ago."

Alisa and Sakuya effort to dressed Shio two days ago led up to a damn cat and mouse game, so I took over their responsibility. I did a bit of test on Shio by given her series of fabrics laced with different concentration of Oracle. Predictably, the more it contained Oracle the longer she tolerated it. I asked Licca to make a dress from pure Oracle. An engineering challenge no doubt, but still possible.

Licca called me earlier, telling me that the dress design had finished and she needs Shio for body measurement. My sister brought her to Licca, and grumpy came not long after they left.

I spent my morning chatted with Soma. Well, it was more like one-sided chat, Soma barely replied, only occasional grunt or nod. I shouldn't expect too much, his willingness to came to my room was already a massive improvement.

Afternoon came along with my sister and Shio. They entered my room and greeted us.

"We're back." My sister greeted us.

"Um... Good after...noon?"

"Yep, afternoon. Why it took so long to measure her?" I asked.

"It shouldn't be this long, but Licca have to redraw her design after Shio used her diagram as painting paper... Here, this is from Licca." My sister gave me a note.

My eyes widen with awe at the note. A sketch of beautiful white and green dress with flower like pin on its chest and frills on the back. The next page contained its material requirement. My eyes widen again, not from awe, but from disbelief. Her dress required significant amount of material, rivaling even God Arc.

"Chimera Spark Fur, Simian Great Tail, King Armor, Goddess Feather, and Knt Needle. That some numerous part we got here." I spelled the list.

"Yes, we can use my materials. I got Chimera Spark Fur, King Armor, and Goddess Feather, only Simian Great Tail and Knt Needle left." My sister offered.

"Great! Two more to go, a monkey and overgrown scorpion."

"I'm leaving." Soma stood up and walked to the exit.

"Eh? You're leaving now?"

A closed-door was the only replied I got from him.

"What's up with him? He waited for you both only to left after you came back?"

"Maybe he got something to do?" My sister answered.

"Perhaps. Oh well, let's ask doc Sakaki."

We moved to Dr. Sakaki's office together with Shio. We found him typing on his keyboard as usual, concentrating on his monitor. Various Bias Factor and Patterns reflected on his glasses. We kept staring for whole minutes before he stopped and turned at us.

"It's about her dress I presume?" Dr. Sakaki asked.

"Yep, so Licca have told you about that. I want to borrow your radar." I answered. "I need a Kongou and Borg Camlann."

"I see." Dr. Sakaki resumed typing on his keyboard and watched his monitor. "There's one unregistered Borg Camlann in Valley of the Blue Ice."

"That's pretty far. And the Kongou?"

"There're few of them scattered in the region, but it had been registered."

"That's not good. I can't risk myself getting discovered by other unit." I shook my head.

"I can help you with that. I'll take a mission from Hibari, just wait for us at the site." My sister spoke.

"Ah, good idea. We'll borrow your chopper in few hours doc."

"Few hours?" My sister raised her eyebrow.

"Yep, got something to do. Catch you later." I left Dr. Sakaki's office and headed to God Arc Storage Facility.

Two cans of First Love Juice stacked in my pocket while I held the third can, opened and half drained. I brought this canned drink from vending machine near elevator. That damn scrap metal ate my change. Not much, merely forty Fc, but a proof that it should be scrapped instead.

I tossed empty can into trash bin near God Arc storage facility and entered our workshop. Fresh air greeted me instead of welding fume and oil, a welcomed change of pace. I found Licca crouched near Link Support Device, checking its connection cable.

"Yo Licca. Something wrong with that?"

She lifted her goggles and turned at me. "No, just usual check up. Hey, is that..." Licca took a can from my pocket and examined it. "You said my iced curry is poisonous, yet you drank this?"

"Oh, it's not that bad. By the way, I found a place where we can test this device."

"Oh? That's good. Where is it?"

"Valley of the Blue Ice. There's lone Borg Camlann in there." I put the can back to my pocket.

"So, a field test and gathering material for her dress at the same time. Not a bad idea, but do you know how far it is?"

"Yep, a hundred kilometers from here."

Valley of the Blue Ice. Remnant of massive dam located at the base of tall mountain north-west of the Den. A bone chilling ruined dam covered in eternal snow, like Tranquil Temple. It was the furthest and most isolated area in Far East region, therefore inhabited by many rare and strong Aragami.

"I don't object your idea but you have to do it yourself."

"Eeh? Why? I thought you were waiting for this."

"I am." Licca sighed. "You see, this is not an official project. Fenrir will never agree with me leaving the Den for personal project."

"Uh... who gonna operate this device if you aren't coming with us?"

"That will be you. Don't worry, I'll teach you how to do it."

"Eeh? I don't think I can do it."

"I'm sure you can."

Three hours. For three hours Licca patiently tutored me. From deploying Link Support Device, setting up, choosing the right Core, firing pulse, to shutting down Device and packing it up. My engineering skills helped me, but ultimately it was up to Licca and her tutorial.

Our session took longer than I anticipated. By the time I finished my course it already three in the afternoon. I returned to my room after asked Licca to send the Link Support Device to Dr. Sakaki's helipad. I jogged through the hallway, then to elevator, and Laboratory section.

Soma came back to my room. I sensed him as soon as I stepped out from elevator. I increased my pace and opened the metal door. Soma listened quietly to his headphones at the corner of my room while Shio followed my sister. She rummaged my knapsack, looking for Shio's food.

"Grumpy! What're you doing in here?"

Soma grunted and looked away from me.

"Hey sis. Look what he brought for us." My sister called me. She held a piece of Kongou tail and smiled at me.

For some reason Soma started to glare at her.

"What? Is that..."

"Yes, Simian Great Tail. Not only that, he-"

"Don't you dare!" Soma glowered.

"Nope." My sister grinned. "You see, Soma overheard our discussion about material for Shio's dress. You know what, he went as far as taking two Kongou alone in solo mission."

Soma squirmed in place and pulled his hood, hiding his face from us. Didn't hide his rapidly beating heart from my ears though. Now I knew why he abruptly left us right after I listed the material. He really changed, old Soma wouldn't care about us. Although, I wonder, how long it would take for him to openly admitted his true self? Nahh, it still far away.

"Shio, come here."

Shio obediently came to me. She hopped from one tile to another and landed in front of me.

"Look at grumpy over there." I pointed at Soma. "He helped us gather material for your dress. What do you say when someone helps you?"

Shio moved closer, wobbly walking to Soma. She peeked under his hood and bowed. "Thank you!"

Soma stayed still, acting as if he didn't care. Yet his heart drummed faster. Eventually, he had enough of Shio's innocent gaze and left my room, back to his room or wherever he goes.

"Aaand he left us. I'm sorry sis, but you have to gather Knt Needle without me." I moved closer and sat beside her on sofa.

"Oh? You got other assignment?"

"No, I'll come with you, but I'll be manning Link Support Device and help you from afar."

"Link Support Device?" My sister asked.

"Hm... a complex machine designed to manipulate all Oracle Cells in various ways. Let's just say it's a man-made Bias Field emitter."

"Oh, so it can disrupt Aragami or something like that?" A shard of awe slipped into her tone.

"Yep, from enhancing your stamina, creating single use barrier, to weakening Aragami or paralyzing it. I've been working with Licca on this project since I arrived here, it's time to test it in real combat."

"That's great. I'll tell others, meet us at helipad."

I paced back with Shio on my trail, passing hallway and handful of people. Licca already waited for me in storage facility. She handed me four God Arcs kept in large black briefcase. I didn't ask whose God Arc, it might belonged to Third Unit or commonly known as Reserve Unit. A defense unit created to protect Aegis Island during construction. However, they became Reserve Unit once small Anti-Aragami Wall erected around Aegis.

My sister brought Alisa, Sakuya, and Soma with her. They waited for us near helipad and was checking on Link Support Device as I got there. On our way to Valley of the Blue Ice I explained my plan to them, Soma and my sister would charge at the overgrown scorpion head on while Alisa would provide fire support. Sakuya and Shio stayed with me on one of the tallest tower west side of the dam, ensuring I could work uninterrupted while took potshots at scorpion below.

Valley of the Blue Ice, isolated area at the far end of Far East Region. It cost us two hours to reached it even with Dr. Sakaki's chopper, thanks to its sheer distance. By the time we arrived the sky had turned orange, and the sun was about to set. We disembarked on small icy platform on east side of the dam, not the west side like I predicted. I worked on Link Support Device, assembling the cables and other bits while Shio plunged God Arcs into its port.

"All set and ready to go." The Device monitor flickered and turned on, showing the device status and port effect. "We got two stamina boosters, a paralysis, and a shield. First wave will be ready in two minutes."

"Let's go everyone." My sister jumped from tower, followed by Soma and Alisa.

They were landing harmlessly on broken dam roof far below. Such long fall would kill normal people, and they did it while carried their God Arc. I reached my headset and twiddled the frequency button, changing it to First Unit frequency.

"Sis, everyone, can you hear me?"

[Huh? You can use our line?] My sister answered.

[Yes, clearly.] Alisa confirmed.

[Don't bother me.] Soma answered in his own way.

"Listen, in about thirty second I'll let the first wave go. It's stamina booster, you should feel the effect immediately. Contact me if you feel something wrong."

Link Support monitor showed almost fully charged main capacitors. It reached 90% and steadily increased.

"Energy booster in 3... 2... 1... Go!"

A blast of Bias Field rapidly expanded from Link Support Device, covering entire dam and rousing our Oracle Cells. Their body jerked by sudden rush of pure energy.

"I feel good..." Shio jumped in place, unable to contain her energy.

[Woow, this is amazing!] My sister shouted through her radio. She sprinted endlessly, chasing Borg Camlann at the end of the dam.

"Taking a shot." Sakuya aimed her sniper God Arc and pulled the trigger, repeatedly.

Couple of round struck true to its target, a tail of oversized scorpion. A crack appeared on its exoskeleton. Red liquid seeped from the wound, dripping on cold concrete. The scorpion roared in anger and turned its body at my sister and her group, thinking it was them who shot it. Neat, I wish my spike could reach as far as that sniper God Arc.

"I see you're about to fight it. I'll release the next wave, rush in when it paralyzed." Link Support Device hummed in high pitch, indicating it was fully charged. "Link Support Device is ready, firing pulse... now!"

"Aaaah!" My body crashed to the icy concrete, convulsing uncontrollably. Yellow spark like arc danced around my twitching arms. I forced my numb neck to turn, peeking at Shio.

She coped no better than me. Spasmed violently and covered in yellow spark, unable to even spoke or moved.

"Rena, Shio, wake up! Why are you trembling like that?" Sakuya ran to our side.

Sakuya's medic training took over her, she frantically snatched a Restore Pill from her pocket and pried open my mouth. I tried to close my mouth but failed because of numbness and her insistence. What a waste of medicine.

"Li... Link... De... vice... Turn... o-off!" Desperately, I pointed my shaky fingers at monitor.

Sakuya approached the monitor and began typing. A wave of energy pulsed from Link Support Device.

"Wrr... Wr... ong... Nghhh... Arghhhh!"

Instead of turn it off, Sakuya unwittingly set off another energy booster. It turned out a stimulant and an electrocuted muscle was a bad combination. My convulsions became more violent, completely disabling me.

"No! What should I do?" Sakuya panicked. She furiously stroked keyboard and set off the last wave, barrier.

Despite our violent convulsions I knew we weren't in danger. Paralysis from Link Support Device didn't directly harming Oracle Cells nor it would leave any damage. Still, watching panicked Sakuya was kinda funny. Too bad, I couldn't do anything.

Our paralysis gradually weakened. I could move my fingers and my mouth a bit, but not my limbs. "C-calm... do... wn... not... d-dan... gerous..."

"No! How can I calm down when you're in pain?!" Sakuya kicked Link Support Device in frustration. She had given up on trying shut it down.

"Not... pa... painful... j-just... can't... mo...ve..."

Sakuya stopped panicking as the paralysis diminished. I crawled to platform edge and rested my back on railing, flexing my shaking hands and legs.

"See... It's not really... that bad." I clenched my fist. Almost returned to normal, only slight numbness left. In the corner of my eyes I watched Shio slowly sat up. Her legs were shaking and she had to use her white blade as makeshift crutch, but she managed to stood up.

"You startled me. Moment ago both of you were fine, the next thing I knew you dropped and convulsed uncontrollably." Sakuya sighed with relief.

"It taste bad..." Shio scowled.

"Sorry, I don't expect this device will affect me too. What about Rina and others?" I asked Sakuya.

"They killed it. That Borg Camlann suddenly stopped moving after you activate that machine."

A flipped scorpion with three persons around it. They took advantage of paralyzing wave and killed it while it was disabled.

"Come Shio, they got your food."

"Food!" Shio chirped. Her scowl faded and a smile formed in its place.

We regrouped with my sister at the dam. They harvested each usable part and divided equally. I snapped its stinger and stashed it in my knapsack along with other little bits and pieces.

"All right, this should do it. Anyone still need a piece of this?" I tapped the scorpion carcass. Nobody answered, so I took it as no. I turned at Shio and patted her head. "Go ahead, this is all yours."

"Let's eat!" Shio dug in. She stuffed a mouthful of its orange flesh and gulped greedily.

"Thank you everyone. With this we could make a new dress for her. A dress from pure Oracle Cells." I thanked to First Unit.

"A dress?" Alisa asked.

"Ah, I forgot to tell you. Shio hate clothes. However, she willing to wear Oracle Infused cloth for a while. So I come up with idea to make a dress entirely from Aragami part."

"That certainly make sense..." Sakuya nodded.

I felt a tug on my sleeve.

"Tasty..." Shio pulled my shirt. She held Borg Camlann Core in her palm, offering it to me.

As I chewed, I watched the horizon darkened and stars filled the blank sky. There was still another hour before Dr. Sakaki's chopper arrived, so we made a campfire near my Link Support Device. We sat circling campfire, doing our own interest. My sister, Sakuya, and Alisa chatted together, talking about various thing. Soma, well... he just stared at fire danced before him and snacked on Fenrir field ration. Shio happily nibbled bits of Borg Camlann as usual.

"Soo... What do you say about Link Support Device? Is it helpful?" I swallowed the last piece of scorpion Core in my mouth and asked them.

"It was amazing! It felt like having limitless energy. I sprinted across the dam without losing my breath." My sister yelled. "How long until it finished?"

"Calm yourself leader. Your sister mentioned this is a field test, which means it still require higher-ups approval and further development before it can be mass-produced. Am I right?" Alisa made an educated guess.

"Yep, it can be anywhere from few months up to years. You know how selfish Fenrir actually are." My sister slumped in defeat upon hearing my words. "However, I can ask Licca to lend this machine for you, no promises though."

"Better than nothing..." My sister mumbled.

Large blizzard approached us. We were preparing to move the Link Support Device to safer position when our evac arrived, sparring us from the trouble and from snowstorm altogether.

Back in the Den, my sister embraced fluffy bed and went asleep after a quick bath and a dinner. That was unusual, she rarely exhausted herself like this, not to mention she almost doubled her dinner portion. Something to do with Link Support Device perhaps?

Time passed quickly while someone in deep thought. Shio's dress, Link Support Device, avenging Lindow, these thoughts swirled in my head and before I knew it my sister woke up from her sleep.

"Nghh... morning." She yawned loudly. "Oh, you already awake sis."

"Morning!" Shio replied.

"Morning. I don't sleep silly." I smiled. "Go wash yourself, I'll make your breakfast."

Licca knocked my room after we finished our breakfast. She took me and Shio to our workshop for debriefing. I explained everything, from the moment we landed, deployment sequence, each pulse I shot, and paralysis we suffered. Licca loaded my Bias Pattern in her computer and compared it to common Aragami.

"As predicted." Licca muttered.

"Hm? Predicted what?"

"The source of your problem. Link Support Device pulse aiming at specific type of Bias Pattern. I've modified it to include your Bias Pattern when using beneficial pulse." Licca explained.

"And it worked perfectly... until I set off paralyzing pulse."

"That's the problem. Link Support Device saw you as potential target for negative effect, and I can't prevent it."

"Because if you put our Pattern in excluded list other Aragami won't be affected. So it's either take all of these pulses or not at all." I nodded at her explanation.

"Have you found all the material for her dress?" Licca left her computer and circled Shio.

"I got it right... here." I dropped my knapsack on table and took out it one by one. "Let's see... Knt Needle? Check. Chimera Spark Fur? Got it. Simian Great Tail? Check. King Armor? Yep. Goddess Feather... Where is that butterfly part?"

"Here... you drop..." Shio picked Sariel's bluish feather from the ground.

"Ah yes, thanks. Okay, it's all here."

"Hm..." Licca examined my materials. "Yes, this should be enough. We can begin making it"

"Great, thank you Licca, I owe you one."I tapped her shoulder.

"No, it's the least I can do." Licca shook her head.

We worked together creating Shio's dress. Actually, Licca was the one who did most of the work, I could only watch and helped her carry various tools and materials.

[Rena? Come to my office.]

"It's about Dyaus Pita?"

[Yes, we finished decoding its Bias Factor.]

"Um... Licca?"

"Yes, I know. Doc Sakaki called you. Go now, leave this dress to me." Licca gave me a thumb up.

The image of Dyaus Pita flashed in my head as I walked back to his room. Soon, we would have our vengeance. Unlike the last time, I grew stronger and accepted my true self. Also, I wouldn't be alone this time, I got entire First Unit and Shio on my back.

Dr. Sakaki's office crowded, they'd come and was waiting for me and Shio. Dr. Sakaki handed me a stack of papers filled with Dyaus Pita picture and descriptions.

"Now, I will begin my announcement. As for today, our scientist division successfully decoding Dyaus Pita Oracle Cells. We can now pinpoint its location."

A collective gasp resounded in the room. Alisa and Sakuya were the loudest among us.

"It's time..." My sister said.

"Yea, it's time for our vengeance." I nodded.

"I know you are all eager to face it, but don't be reckless. Open the second page, you'll find its ability there."

I did as Dr. Sakaki asked and flipped the page. Second page filled with description and picture on its razor wings. Its volt generator doubled in size compared to normal Vajra, which signifying its threat. No wonder it nearly knocked me out when it shocked me with electric blast.

"Be wary with its blade like wing. It's tough and sharp, strong enough to cut through most thing with ease." Dr. Sakaki explained.

"Where is it?" Soma asked.

"Previously, it wandered above Infernal Subway. It changed course recently, heading to Tranquil Temple as we speak."

"Understood, when the mission begin?" My Sister asked.

"I will submit a formal order in six hours." Dr. Sakaki said.

"There's still enough time before it begin, upgrade your God Arc, prepare your medicine and traps, this will become a difficult and risky battle." I said.

"How did you know that?" Kota asked.

"I've faced it before. Alisa, Sakuya, come to my room, I have something to discuss."

Back in my room, Alisa and Sakuya sat facing me in sofa while my sister and Shio sat beside me. I made them a tea to ease their tension.

"Alisa, Sakuya, I want you to honestly answer my question." I shifted my gaze, focusing on their face. "Can you do it? Can you face this Aragami?"

"I can do it." Alisa said.

"Yes, for Lindow." Sakuya clenched her hand, tightly grasping her dress.

"Are you sure about this? This Aragami killed someone we hold dear. Lindow... and your parents, Alisa."

"How did you know that?!" Alisa gasped.

"I have my way. Can you overcome your trauma? This Aragami is a dangerous opponent, there's no room for hesitation and doubt."

I turned my gaze at Sakuya.

"And you Sakuya, this Aragami is the one that murdered Lindow. Can you keep your head cool facing such loathsome Aragami? A rash decision will only cost your life."

"What about you? Can you do it?" Sakuya retorted.

"Yes I can." I calmly replied. After all, I got Rei on my side. He would take over me once it turned dangerous.

"Remember, there's nothing wrong with running from a hopeless battle." I took a can of First Love Juice from table and drank the sweet syrup. "I won't hold it against you if you both choose to stay, I doubt anyone will."

I leaned on sofa and closed my eyes.

'Can I depend on you Rei?'

 _'Maybe?'_

'Thank you for your uselessness, jerk.'

 _'You're welcome.'_


	16. Aragami and Big-Game Hunting

Take it or leave it. These thoughts stuck in my head. Licca strained Link Support Device to its limit by allowed me and Shio to receive boosters while prevented it affecting normal Aragami. I shouldn't ask for another miracle.

My fingers trailed on smooth A large Tranquil Temple map that laid bare on marble table before me. Five pairs of eyes watched me, listening to my explanation about black beast we were about to hunt.

"What's the plan?" Yellow capped boy asked.

"According to doc Sakaki, that Aragami should entering Tranquil Temple from... here." I tapped small area near a cliff labeled as D in the map. "Now, I have two idea. First, Shio, Soma, and I will advance as single unit and confront it at point D, near the staircase. Sakuya and Alisa will stay on top of watchtower in point F, providing long-range support." I tapped a white box in the middle of Tranquil Temple. "The rest of you will act as our close range fire support and backup."

"And second plan?" Alisa asked.

"I will use my Aragami form and face it head on. The rest of you will act as my fire support. I will keep that Aragami in here." I tapped point J. "Alisa and Sakuya stay on watchtower while the rest of you stay on nearby rooftop in point N and O."

"A question. What is this Aragami form you mentioned?" Kota raised his hand.

"Oh, I forgot to explain it. To put it simply, I become a large white lizard. Although, I'm not really change into one."

"Whaaat?! You can do that?"

"Yep, it's one of my... ability. Any questions or suggestions?"

"Why don't you use your Aragami form in the first plan?" My sister asked.

"No..." I shook my head. "It's too risky. I can accidentally cut or step on you."

"I have a question. Why I must stay with Sakuya on watchtower? Isn't it better if it's Kota instead of me." Alisa asked.

"No, it's exactly because you're a New-Type. You can both give us fire support and act as vanguard for Sakuya, a role that Kota can't fulfill."

"I see... That certainly make sense."

"Sorry for dumping my job on you again." My sister held my shoulder.

"I don't mind, I know more about it anyway. Okay, there's still two hours left before we head out, I'm going to make some preparations." I left my room and headed to my workshop.

Nobody left in this small cold room, not even Licca. Only occasional humming from Link Support Device that left on stand-by mode and thick oil scent from spilled grease near its leg. Licca probably in production facility right now, continuing her work on Shio's dress.

I began sorting various item my sister gave to me for next mission. There was only limited space for tools I could take since I didn't bring my knapsack with me. Stun Grenade, Restore Pills, O-Ampule, Ration, and many kinds of traps. Which one should I take?

After moments of pondering, I settled with few Stun Grenade, a case of ten Restore Pills and ten O-Ampules, and couple of traps. True, Restore Pills and O-Ampules didn't work on me, but I could still give it to others.

Not long after I finished with my loadout Rina entered my workshop. She held a small glass cube full of green gas, a recovery type Oracle module.

"Sis, look what Licca made for me." She placed the glass cube on table.

"Oracle module for assault gun type God Arc."

"Not just a normal module, it's a modified module." My sister spoke with pride.

"Modified? For what?" I asked.

"For you and Shio!" She yelled. "I know both of you can't take Restore Pills, so I asked Licca to modify normal restoration module. Although..."

"It's also affecting common Aragami, not surprising." I interrupted her.

"How did you know that?"

"Silly, did forget that I'm an engineer? It should be okay so long as you hit your mark."

"I'm not Kanon." My sister pouted.

"Kanon?" My eyebrow curved.

"Oh yeah, you don't know her. Kanon Daiba, medic from Second Unit. Infamous for her extremely high friendly fire incident. She often work alone because other members avoid working with her."

"It can't be that bad."

"No, it is. Believe me when I say she hit team members more often than Aragami." My sister sighed.

"That bad, huh. How's your preparation? There's only an hour left before our mission begin."

"That's other reason I'm visiting you. Here." She dropped a bundle of materials. "I need to upgrade my buckler and short blade. Can you help me?"

"You don't have to ask." I patted her back.

She picked a convenient time for upgrading her God Arc. We need all the power we could get, our opponent is the same beast that almost killed me after all.

Back in production facility I dumped her materials into separate chamber in fabrication machine and placed her old Fiery Knife II in main chamber. Part by part, the short blade in fabrication machine began to change. Its dimly reddish glow brightened, turning into vivid scarlet. I supervised each step and weighted its materials carefully. Anyone could operate God Arc fabrication machine, but only an engineer could tell whether they did it right or not.

The fabrication machine stopped and its main chamber opened. A brand new Fiery Knife N laid on its tray, ready for the next step. I took the new blade and inspected it carefully, looking for any flaw or defect. To my joy, I found none.

The clock in storage facility rung, signaling the end of my free time. Dr. Sakaki called me right after I finished installing her new blade. He told me that my sister had taken the mission and now waited for me in my room. I strolled to my destination, grabbing a can of First Love Juice from nearby vending machine along the way.

"So, which plan we should take? First plan? Second plan? or a new plan perhaps?" I asked to First Unit.

"We agreed to your first plan. It feels wrong to let you take all the burden by yourself. Hunting that beast down is our responsibility." My sister answered.

"Alright, we'll go with first plan then."

That was unexpected. Personally, I would choose my second plan. Less risky for them and more freedom for me. But if it was what they wanted, so be it.

"One more thing." My gaze locked on Sakuya and Alisa. "This is the last chance to back down."

"No, we've made up our mind." Alisa firmly said.

"Yes, we will join you in this mission." Sakuya returned my gaze.

Their eyes full of confidence. Good, there was no place for doubt in this mission, it could cost their lives.

We moved out using two helicopters, Fenrir helicopter and Dr. Sakaki's personal chopper. Soma and Shio accompanied me in Dr. Sakaki's chopper while the rest of First Unit followed my sister. Hangar roof folded, allowing me to see a massive cloud hanged on dark night. The chopper flew through darkness, heading to Tranquil Temple.

Crunchy snow crumbled beneath my boots as I landed in cold snowy forest at the south gate of Tranquil Temple. The cloud that loomed over us reached this place but only half of it. I was worried at first. Unlike me, God Eaters had no night vision. They relied on cumbersome night vision goggles on such occasion. That worry disappeared when I saw Soma walked behind me without goggles.

"I'm here. I sense no Aragami around me, where's this Dyaus Pita?"

[It move toward Tranquil Temple and will arrive in... nine minutes and thirty second at point D as predicted.]

"Got it." I turned around, facing Soma and Shio. "Grumpy, Shio, that black Vajra will arrive soon. Wait for others, I'll go and set traps around that place."

A grumble and a nod later I left them and headed to east side of Tranquil Temple.

My hand clenched at my side as I walked, trembling a bit. I was afraid. Not for my safety, it was for them. What if some of them crippled because of this battle? No, crippled would be mercy compared to death, or infected like Lindow.

I shoved snowy ground and planted my trap right below the cliff. I took a series of deep breath, clearing my clouded mind before arming the trap. One by one, my traps armed in place and I backed away slowly, careful to not set it off myself. One paralysis trap next to a cliff, one on each side of staircases and a poison trap on clear ground near tower.

They were here. By the time I returned the rest of First Unit had arrived at the gate. Not only that, Licca and a handful of field engineer clothed in heavy snowsuit also arrived in another chopper, carrying Link Support Device with them.

"Hey Licca, what're you doing?" I waved at her.

"Oh Rena. I'm teaching these recruit operating Link Support Device." Licca jabbed her thumb on their direction. "And before you ask, Fenrir approved our project."

"Well, that's fast. Typical higher-ups, only care about the result." I shook my head.

[Rena? That Dyaus Pita increasing its pace, it already entered pine forest.]

"Shit... Everyone!" I shouted, gathering their attention at once. "Our target approaching us. To your position! Kota, you stay here, protect this group. Soma, Shio, on me."

The ground vibrated and loud roar echoed. I looked around, ensuring our preparation was complete. Two God Eaters on top of middle tower, two God Eaters at my side, and one God Eater stood behind me. I sensed that, uneasiness followed by heavy footsteps. I switched my headset frequency to First Unit. "This is it, good luck everyone."

Dread. Unexplainable dread washed over me. I gritted my teeth and tensed my fist. A dark blue blade grew on each of my palm. Shio created her white blade and fidgeted in place.

Dark figure slowly came to us. Dyaus Pita stood on the cliff, calmly watching us, mocking us. It roared once more and jumped, right on top of my trap.

"NOW!" I charged at its head.

[Taking a shot.]

[Open Fire!]

A red bullet whizzed past me, exploding on its face. Shrapnel and heat engulfed me as I rushed to its foot. I brought down my twin blade, marking its left foot with two long scars.

"Food!" Shio darted from corner of my eyes right into its hind leg.

"Die!" A buster came from my side, crashing on other paw.

Dyaus Pita roared, unfurling its large razor wings. A red barbed wings that came fast at small child on its left.

Move! I bolted, chasing it. Black and red wing clashed with two dark blue blades. I gritted my teeth, straining my trembling arms against razor wing that crept closer.

"Get away you beast!" Purple bullet exploded on its rear, staggering it.

I dashed with Shio in my arm, away from it. I looked at the source of purple bullet. My sister aimed her God Arc barrel at it, red and smoldering barrel. Purple bullet? It was divine!

"Everyone, Dyaus Pita weak to divine. Use your divine bullet."

I dived into chaos before me, bouncing among electric blast and divine Oracle bullet. Shio and Soma joined the fray, adding more havoc to the chaotic battlefield. I focused my Oracle Field and rained spikes upon spikes into its chest. One of my spike struck its neck, choking it with its own blood. I created another wave of spikes and launched it. Pride bloomed in me. Soon, it would fall.

Suddenly, air around us charged. Subtle static like wave and electric spark jumped on the ground. My instinct screamed at me, telling me to run. And I screamed at my teammates. "RUN AWAY!"

Dyaus Pita roared and let off massive electric surge.

I flew across cliff, hopelessly watching Shio and Soma blasted away like me. Soma crashed to nearby wall and slumped down. Shio landed on top of my trap near staircases, setting it off and paralyzing her.

There was a sensation of falling. Amid my clouded mind, throbbing left arm, and damaged body, part of my mind knew I fell from the cliff and plummeted to snowy forest beneath.

My body crashed into a boulder and crushed it, grinding it into rock and shard. Weakly, I sat up and leaned on tree trunk, assessing my wound. My sleeves destroyed, most of my front shirt burned. My left arm charred and cracked after took the brunt of its blast. Fresh blood seeped from gray gel, which supposed to be my flesh, beneath the gash. Still, the look of my wound wasn't the worst part, it was the smell. My arm smelled like grilled meat and it turned my stomach upside down. Damn that cat and its electric blast.

It obvious my left arm now out of commission, or at least until I finished regenerating it. I reached my headset with my other hand and called my teammates.

"This is Rena, I'm fine but unable to move. What's your situation?"

[Thank goodness you're okay sis. Waaah-] Her voice abruptly cut off by static noise.

"Sis? Come in." Nothing but static answered me. Anxiety settled in me. Did Dyaus Pita got her too? "Come in, please anyone..."

[Alisa here. Captain is fine. She lost her headset after Dyaus Pita nicked her cheek.]

I sighed in relief. "Good. What about Soma and Shio?"

[He is fine but unconscious. Shio still paralyzed]

"Change of plan. Alisa, Sakuya, provide close range support for Rina. Hold that Dyaus Pita until I get there."

[Understood.]

I forced my unsteady legs to stand up and walk, heading to the same cliff where I'd fallen from. Short distance, no more than twenty meters, felt like eternity. Thankfully, despite severity of my wound I didn't feel pain, only bit tingling on my body and throbbing on my left arm. Either I grew accustomed to pain or my senses on pain dulled. I examined my left arm and checked on the rest of my wound.

Fast, that what I thought when I saw my arm. Charred skin and soot that covered it broke apart, revealing healthy arm underneath. Smooth and flawless, albeit grayish arm.

[Link Support Device is ready. Sending energy booster and speed booster...]

Pair of waves passed me, energizing and lightening me. Licca sent that waves at convenient time, I desperately need help with my half numb body. I moved faster and soon reached the cliff. Sound of battle became clearer with each stone I climbed. Gunshot, bestial roar, and yell followed me in my path to the top.

I breathed in relief at battle before me. My sister managed to hold her ground until Soma and Shio recuperate. Three of them fought Dyaus Pita at the center of Tranquil Temple, near village tower. Alisa and Sakuya stayed on tower roof, constantly barraging it with high velocity bullets and bombs.

"Over here stupid cat!" I shouted and launched couple of spikes.

It worked well. Dyaus Pita turned its head at me only to met my spikes instead, adding more wound to its battered face. It angrily snarled at me. A short-lived snarl. Large buster blade swung in vertical arc and slammed at its head, stopping its growl. Certain Aragami girl leaped from behind it and rammed her white blade into its head.

Dyaus Pita wailed and fell on its side. I moved to its head. It tried to stand up as I came closer and fell after a spike jammed into its forehead. Its red eyes closed, and its breath slowed, as if it resigned to its inevitable end. I should be angry, or at least satisfied, for my vengeance was about to fulfilled, yet I felt nothing. This merely a beast that followed its instinct, nothing more.

First Unit gathered around me, watching dying beast before us. Sorrow, hatred, disgust, and hunger surrounded me. Sorrow from Sakuya, hatred from my sister and disgust from Soma.

"I'm done with this. Do what you want to this creature." I turned, facing First Unit.

"You don't want to finish it?" My sister asked.

"No, killing it won't satisfy me. It's nothing more than a beast. I will end the one who is responsible for Lindow's death." I clenched my fist. Image of metal canister I found outside of ruined church flashed in my mind, and it fueling my anger. "Go ahead. Kill and harvest it part, leave the rest to Shio."

Dyaus Pita body ripped apart. They used God Arc predator mode and began harvesting its body while Shio ate unusable part.

I sat and rested my back on tower, watching First Unit worked their way and broke down its body. They all weary and worn out but everyone survived. My sister suffered the worst. She got two large gashes on her cheek and a claw wound on her back. Soma took slightly less injury than my sister. Part of his hand burned and his back bled but nothing serious. Alisa and Sakuya appeared mostly unharmed, apart from minor lesion and bruise on their chest and face. Shio uninjured despite taking a point-blank electric blast. Either she managed to get away in time or she regenerated her wound like me. I lifted my grayish arm and found out it no longer gray, the discoloration faded and left me with perfectly healed arm.

 _'What're you doing? You should eat that Aragami and replenish your energy instead staring at them.'_

'Just sorting my feeling. I thought I would be satisfied, yet it felt hollow.'

 _'You're thinking about that bait aren't you? You can ponder it later, eat that Aragami first.'_

'Fine...'

Shio gave me its Core after I sat beside her. I began eating it while other members dug through Dyaus Pita body, looking for Lindow's Armlet.

"Ah! Huuuugh? What's this?" Shio pulled red Armlet from its chest.

"Oh! Shio found it every-"

"Ow... It's hard..." Shio frowned and held her ached cheek.

"Silly, it's not food." I patted her head and gave the red Armlet to Sakuya.

"This... This is it, isn't it? It's his Armlet. His... His Armlet..." Sakuya held red Armlet and examined it. Her voice trembled from sadness.

"I'm sorry... Lindow." Alisa fell to her knee, covering her face and crying.

"Lindow..." My sister whispered. She clutched my arm tightly. Her tears broke free and she buried her face to my back.

I knew his true fate was worse than peaceful death like this. He wandered out here, alone, in eternal hunger. First, I would end the one who did this. After that, I would try to grant him final rest.

"Um... Why they... they..." Shio stuttered.

"They're crying. It called mourning." I whispered to her.

"It feel... sad."

"It is."

Dr. Sakaki's chopper came to pick us up and we took off to the Den in silence. News about Lindow's Armlet spread out. It brought down entire Den mood. Whispers exchanged and rumors traveled, especially after Fenrir officially declared Lindow status as KIA. Sakuya and Alisa suffered the worst of it. Sakuya broke down in her room and refused to come out for dinner. Alisa, her guilt ate her from inside while dirty look from other God Eaters chewed her from outside. She locked herself in her room like Sakuya. My sister cried herself to sleep on my bed. At least she still willing to ate her dinner, unlike other two.

She left me in the morning to checked on Alisa and Sakuya or something like that. Then, not long after my sister left, Licca came and greeted me. She escorted me and Shio to our workshop and resumed her work. Her hands nimbly crawled on Shio's figure, dragging measuring tape along the way. She slipped flower imitation on Shio's Back, then took it off and placed it on her chest. A frill to her head only to moved it to her shoulder.

After series of dress up Licca finally allowed us to leave. I glanced at clock in Storage Facility. Three hours. Three hours passed in series of dress up games. This better be worth it. We returned to my room and had our share of breakfast, a piece of Borg Camlann leg and a can of First Love Juice for each of us. My sister entered while we still had our breakfast. She sat in front of us, drinking a cup of milk tea.

"So you stopped eating normal food?" My sister asked. There wasn't any repulsion in her tone, which I was grateful.

"Yep, it's not as tasty and filling as Aragami."

"You starting to sound like Shio." She chuckled.

"Heh, perhaps. Anyway, how Alisa and Sakuya doing?"

"They're fine. They stopped crying and already had their breakfast by the time I arrived. Um... say... sis..." My sister suddenly became uneasy. She eyed my room, trying to find something.

"You can tell me. Don't worry, this room isn't bugged." I reassured her.

"Uh... No bug!" Shio copied me.

"Sakuya showed me a disk belonged to Lindow. She said Lindow gave her in secret. It contained a single report, a project file, and one executable program." She took out a can of First Love Juice from her pocket and drank it.

"Eeh? I thought you hate it."

"Yes, I hate this at first. Few more can and I began to appreciate its taste." She emptied her can and threw it away. "It's not really that bad once you get used to it. Okay, back to Lindow's data. First, the report contained Lindow's... investigation on Ark Project."

"Never heard of it. Do you know it?"

"No..." She shook her head. "It came with list of peoples involved in it. Virtually everyone in the Den and their close family. Well... excluding you and Shio since as far as Fenrir know, you aren't exist."

"Interesting... What about the second and third file?"

"Sakuya didn't open the executable file, she afraid it might corrupt the rest. As for the report file..." My sister twiddled her finger and became restless.

"Take a deep breath and calm yourself sis." I took Shio and my empty plate and dumped it in kitchen sink before returned to sofa.

"This is it..." She let her breath out. "Lindow infiltrated Aegis Island."

"What?! Isn't that area are highly restricted? What the hell was he doing in there?"

"Lindow sought proof of what was going on. He wanted to know about Ark Project."

"Damn it..."

Everything came together. My earlier suspicion about Lindow's assassination was correct. Lindow infiltrated Aegis island and caught. Since that was a secret project, they couldn't sue him. So they resorted to assassination instead. That means...

"Sis, don't ever trust director, no matter what happens." I warned him.

"I don't. Why?"

"He might directly or indirectly killed Lindow..."

"No way..." My sister gasped.

I told her everything. About the bait, cigarette scent that stuck on it, about Shio and her attempt in saved him, about his... infection. I showed her piece of his tattered coat and map of Aegis he entrusted to me. She bursted into tears, crying and hugging Shio. In response to her distress Shio hummed and patted her head, like she did to me four days ago. She calmed down after dried her tears.

"So... what should we do?" My sister weakly asked me.

"I'll investigate Aegis Island."

"I'll come with you."

"No." I firmly denied her. "It's too risky. You're a God Eater, they'll kill you if they found you. Me? I'm not even exist in their eyes."

"But... Uh..."

"Just trust me on this, alright?"

"Um... fine... but don't get reckless, you aren't invincible. Say... Uh... is there any chance that Lindow... will end up... like you?" My sister nervously asked.

"Sorry... My case is special." I tried to wear impassive mask, though I doubt I could convince her. Not when my discussion with Rei flashed in my mind.

"No, I shouldn't ask."

"Excuse me, anybody home?" Licca knocked my door.

"Wait a sec." I opened the door and moved aside. "Come in Licca."

"No, I'm in hurry. Here." Licca handed me a cardboard box. "It's Shio's dress. Okay see you later."

"Wait! Aren't you going to watch her in this dress?" I asked.

"Oh trust me, I've examined every details until it stuck in my head. Kay, see ya." Licca waved at me.

"Sis, look!" I showed the cardboard box. "Her dress is finished."

"Great! Put it on her, I'll call everyone." She ran at full speed toward laboratory elevator.

"Let's see..." I took out her dress and examined it.

A beautiful silky white sleeveless dress decorated with green strips and frills. It had green flower ornament on its chest and large green ribbon on its back. Came with matching green armbands too.

"Shio, come here, Time to change your rag."

A fear flashed in her face and she took a step back. "No, no more scratchy thing." Shio shook her head.

"It won't be scratchy this time, promise."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

The silky dress slid on her pale skin. She didn't show any discomfort and that was good news. I tied the matching armbands on each arm and put her short pants on. The elevator on laboratory section rung right after I finished dress her up.

"Come Shio, show them your new dress."

"Yeah!" Shio chirped.

I pushed the metal door and guided Shio out. Every members of First Unit present, including Alisa and Sakuya. They all stood around Shio, watching her in her new bright dress.

"Wooow, it's cute!" My sister stared in daze.

"Oh my god, it's like the cutest thing I have ever seen ever!" Alisa clasped her hand and smiled.

"Heh, I thought so! Just like little girl, huh?" Sakuya said.

"Huh? Do I? Huh. Hehehehe!" Shio rapidly turned her head in excitement.

"That's really something else. Look amazing, right Soma?" Kota looked at certain grumpy.

"Yeah, I guess it's cute..." Soma untypically mumbled.

"I feel like... really so good!" Shio clasped her hands and began singing. It was the same song she heard from Soma's headset.

We watched in awe. Shio sang a beautiful song. She didn't really sing, just repeating 'la la la' but her tone matched the song well. We immersed ourselves in her tone until she stopped singing.

"Hehe! Did you guys ever hear that? It's called a song. It's pretty." Shio smiled.

"Ah..." Soma gasped. It seems he recognized the source of her song.

"Oh my..." Alisa clasped her hands.

"That was incredible, Shio!" Sakuya praised her.

"It was? Was it... a good job?" Shio beamed at us. "Hehehe! I did a good job. Hehe! Now I can't stop smiling..."

"Where did you learn that? It was beautiful." Sakuya praised her again.

I grinned at Soma and he replied my grin with a glare.

"Huh? Soma and I heard it together!"

"You did what?" Kota jumped away, shocked by the news.

"Well then... my. my. my. Soma..." Sakuya slyly teased him.

"Oh, you heard it together, hm? Is that right?" Alisa smirked, causing Soma to squirmed uncomfortably and looked away.

"When did you two find the time to get all buddy-buddy, eh, buddy?" Kota narrowed his eyes.

"Damn... better to be a loner, after all" Soma mumbled quietly. Too quiet for others but not for me.

"You stopped being a loner the moment you knocked on my door." I grinned at him.

"What? You secretly visiting them?" Kota yelled.

"Damn you."


	17. Aragami in the Beginning of the End

"Why did you do that?" Silver haired engineer glared at me.

"Well, to be fair, it wasn't me." I looked at Aragami girl beside me.

"Um... I'm sorry. I broke your... walls?" Shio replied, half apologizing half asking.

Licca called me this morning, asking me to bring Shio with me and met her in our workshop. So I went there as she asked and got chewed before I could explain it. Apparently, some maintenance crew found cracks in the wall, identical with cracks from before, and reported it to Licca. That how we ended up in our workshop together with certain annoyed engineer lecturing us about the importance of Anti-Aragami wall and the difficulty in maintained it. Honestly, I didn't see any use in lecturing us other than stress reliever. Shio was too young to understand such complex lesson while I had my share back in Magnolia. After about an hour Licca stopped lecturing us and resumed her work, filling Link Support Device report.

"God Arc ports working as intended but need stronger lock. Main and auxiliary capacitors seems normal. Energy converter works well although better converter can further reduce the delay between pulses." Licca mumbled while wrote down her report.

"Converter? I don't remember such thing in your schematic."

"It's my own invention. Originally, my father schematic use external power and must be connected to its carrier."

"Yet it doesn't. Just plug the God Arcs and press the button. Wait... that means..."

"That's where my power converter come into play. It convert Oracle emitted from God Arc Core into energy for Link Support Device." Licca confirmed my guess.

She finished her report and went to the corner, brewing her noxious iced curry. I spent my next hour chatted with her, trading stories about our past.

"Tell me, why did you choose to become an engineer?"

Licca drank her iced curry and replied. "What about you?"

"Me? It's not like I have any choice to begin with. You have no right to refuse when you're a compatible candidate." I shook my head.

"Sorry, I should be more specific. I'm talking about you as engineer."

"Tell you what, I'll tell you my reason and you'll tell me yours, deal?" I grinned.

"Deal." Licca nodded.

"Well, my father was the only mechanic in our village and responsible for maintaining equipment. So it kinda rub off on me."

Something about machinery enticed me. When I was a little kid I always had a great deal of curiosity and spent much of my free time in my father's workshop, tinkering with his tools. Sometimes I took it too far and disassembled his entire electrical tools. I couldn't put it back of course. Instead of scolded me my father saw this as potential and began teaching me, telling me that one day I would become his successor and continuing his business as village mechanic.

"I see. As for me, I have three goals. I want to be acknowledged by Fenrir HQ." Licca raised her index finger.

"So you're following your father footsteps, traveling around the world and helping other branch."

"I still haven't decided on traveling part. Then, I want to help God Eaters who are forced to take aptitude test and fight for us." Licca raised her middle finger. "Lastly, I want to finish my father last project." Licca raised her ring finger and tapped Link Support Device with other hand.

"Last project? So he has retired."

"No... He passed away."

"Oh... damn... Sorry." I awkwardly replied.

"It's okay, it was a long time ago." Licca sighed.

Despite she said it was okay there was a hint of sadness in her voice, Licca really loved her father. Kinda made me jealous. Time and trauma robbed most of my memories, only a bit of recollection and flashback remained. I left Licca and went to my room after Shio asked for food.

We had breakfast in my room, one last piece of Borg Camlann tail for two of us. My sister had just finished her bath and was about to make a breakfast when we arrived, so we had our breakfast together.

I watched her slowly ate her soup. Two wounds on her cheek had disappeared and I assumed gashes on her back also healed. Only two days passed since we hunted down Dyaus Pita and she already healed, that was fast even among God Eaters.

"I think I've spent my stash, again." I showed her my deflated knapsack.

"Oh? I was about to take a mission from Hibari. A Fierce Kongou detected in Forgotten Carrier and I need it for my God Arc."

"Good, let's hunt it together." I clasped my hands.

"Wait, I'll take that mission first." My sister ate her breakfast in hurry and scrambled away.

"Um... Why she uh... running?" Shio tilted her head.

"She wants to check something first."

"Um... okay. Can I have... that?" Shio pointed at pink cardboard box on kitchen table.

"Sure. Here, catch!" I threw a can across my room.

"Thank you... Hehehe, it's tasty. " Shio sipped it slowly, enjoying each drop of the juice.

Didn't take long before my sister returned with a note contained the mission details. One Fierce Kongou and a group of Fallen Zygotes in Forgotten Carrier, shouldn't be too hard for us. I never fought a Fierce Kongou but from what I heard it was a tailless yellow monkey with hardened body and relied on electricity as its main weapon.

We parted ways and left the Den using different chopper as usual. On our way to Forgotten Carrier Rei took my body. He spent my free time by talking with Shio. Unlike the last time, Shio could understand his story and actively asked things she didn't understand.

Sun shined brightly above our head as the rest of First Unit landed on platform in Forgotten Carrier behind me. I stood up on warm or hot platform and greeted them.

"Took you long enough. Wait... Where's Soma and Kota?" I noticed only my sister, Sakuya, and Alisa arrived.

"Kota is taking a break with his family, Soma is on special errant for director." My sister explained.

"That snake..." I didn't bother concealing venom in my voice, neither they mind with my hatred at director.

"So that's Fierce Kongou." My sister pointed her fiery blade at it. "This is my first time hunting this species."

"Doesn't matter. A charged monkey is still a monkey."

"You seem so confident, have you fought one of them before?" Alisa asked.

"No, but I can tell just by looking at it. Dyaus Pita we killed few days ago was way more powerful than this monkey." It didn't give me dread or anxiety like Dyaus Pita. No, half of my mind recognized it as a prey instead of nuisance.

'Isn't it right?'

 _'Good, sharpen your instinct, it's a reliable mentor in your hunt. Had you accepted your instinct you wouldn't jump onto its back weeks ago._ _'_

'I said I'm sorry, you really know how to hold a grudge Rei.'

 _'No, I don't hold anything against you. It's just annoying, losing to a pathetic cat like that.'_

"All right, let's get started." My sister jumped from platform and walked toward Fierce Kongou at the end of Forgotten Carrier.

As I suspected, that monkey was no threat to us. It had tough body, rivaling Borg Camlann but that was it. Its electric attack was nowhere near Dyaus Pita and it had normal strength like common monkey.

We swiftly finished our mission. Shio and I fought Fierce Kongou while the rest of First Unit hunted down nearby Fallen Zygotes. I broke down Fierce Kongou body and let the rest choose their part.

I stuffed Fierce Kongou part into my knapsack and ate its Core. "There you go, eat your fill Shio."

"Yeah!" Shio chirped and dug in.

I followed my sister to the edge of Forgotten Carrier and gazed at Aegis Island. An island surrounded by small Anti-Aragami Wall and filled with many kinds of military installation. There was a massive white dome at the center of Aegis Island which supposed to be the place where Aegis Project conducted. It should give us peace but why I felt unease each time I laid my eyes on it?

"It's really something..." Sakuya approached us from behind. "Aegis Island, the key to the project and mankind's last hope for survival. We could finally be safe there."

Lone figure walked to nearby cliff from corner of my eyes. It was Shio, she intensely watched Aegis Island.

"Shio... Are you all right?" Sakuya asked

Suddenly, strange pattern appeared and glowed on her entire body.

"Shio! Why are you glowing like that?" I shouted.

"Huh? You're also glowing sis!"

"Eeh?" I raised hands. Strange blue pattern snaked through my arms up to my palm. It pulsed in sync with Shio's pattern.

 _'No way... It's too soon.'_

'What the hell is this thing?!' I scratched strange marking in my arms.

 _'I'll explain later, after her!'_

'What?'

 _'Just go!'_

I ran, as fast as my feet could take me, passing rocks and jumping across gap between us. What was that? Why Shio acted like she was in sort of... trance?

"It's calling me..." Her pattern pulsed. "It singing to me. Hungry... Must feed. Must devour. Such wondrous food."

 _'Faster!_ '

'I'm trying damn it!'

Close, almost got her. I forced my feet and sprinted faster. Shio still in trance and blankly stared at Aegis Island. Her strange marking glowed once more and she turned around, facing us.

"I must go now..."

"No!" Sakuya and Alisa shouted in unison.

Our fingers brushed, yet it slipped from my grasp. I was too late, Shio fell from the cliff into ocean below. Her small body splashed on ocean surface and disappeared from my sight.

 _'Well, what're you waiting for? Move!'_

'I can't swim you idiot!'

 _''And we can't drown you airhead.'_

'Urgh... Fine! It's on you if I'm drowned.'

Salty wind pressed on my face as I dived into ocean. It happened so fast and I didn't have time to react. First I flew, then I fell and sunk like a rock, when I opened my eyes I already lay half-buried in seabed. Cold and muddy saltwater blanketed me yet I didn't feel any discomfort even when I opened my eyes.

Today I learned another fact about Aragami. They were considerably heavier than water and would sink unless they actively swam. I walked on barren seabed, wandering with no direction, looking for Shio.

I found her halfway between Forgotten Carrier and Aegis Island, unconscious on seafloor. Step by step, I dragged her back to remote shore south of Forgotten Carrier. I laid her on patches of grass near the shore and stripped her dress, hanging it on nearby bushes. Wet, dirty, and annoyed, but at least I found her.

"Everyone, I found Shio."

Nobody replied my call. I switched my frequency and called Dr. Sakaki.

"Doc, are you there?"

[Yes, I've received report from First Unit. Did you find her?]

"Yes, we're okay. Send chopper to Forgotten Carrier, I'll wait there."

I rested beside Shio on grassy bed and examined my surroundings. We were at the base of Forgotten Carrier on small isolated beach surrounded by tall cliff. We had to scale that cliff if we wanted to go back to Forgotten Carrier. No Aragami infested this place, probably because this place was well hidden from above.

'So... aren't you going to explain what happened?'

 _'Yes, you deserve to know the truth.'_

'About time.' I leaned on rock, watching the sky slowly turned orange.

 _'Do you remember what I said about Nova's Devouring Apocalypse?'_

'Yep, it's the end of us. Everything will be returned to original state.'

 _'Yes. To unleash Devouring Apocalypse Nova need a specific Core from Singularity.'_

'And we are that Singularity. That didn't explain why Shio acted like that.'

 _'She heard Nova calling her. Yes, I can feel it, the end is near.'_

Strange marking in my arms reappeared and glowed again. I snapped my head at glowing Shio, and to my relief she hadn't regain consciousness.

'Then, why it doesn't work on us?'

 _'Two reason, I'm much older than current Nova and you're an incomplete Singularity.'_

'Incomplete?'

 _'I don't know how you pulled that stunt but you stopped turning into Singularity midway. Perhaps that's also why you don't lose yourself.'_

'Can't we do something about it?'

 _'No, it's too late at this stage. Adult Nova is completely invulnerable against any damage and once Shio hear Nova's calling she will fall under its influence. Although... there might be a way to prevent it, depends on Nova's type.'_

'And I assume this Nova is in Aegis Island. I'll check on it.' I snuggled closer to Shio and hugged her. Poor kid, newly born child and already destined to end this world. 'You said your past is connected to Devouring Apocalypse, tell me about it.'

 _'Fine, since I know your past it's only fair for you to know mine.'_ Rei released a long sigh. _'This world has gone through two Devouring Apocalypse. I triggered the first.'_

'You did?! Why? That's so...'

 _'Cruel? Yes it is. I was a little child back then, unable to understand anything. I spent my life devouring others and grew stronger, becoming the top of food chains. That was when I obtained my immortality. Humans from the past revered me as their god when they saw me driving off other Aragami. I wanted to learn more about them but they were either afraid or froze in awe each time I approached them, so I settled with watching them quietly.'_

'Watching them quietly... just like Shio, huh.'

 _'My life ended when the first Nova arrived. I couldn't resist its calling and fell under its influence. It forced me to start the Devouring Apocalypse, wiping everything clean and destroying my body.'_

'And you reformed in the new world?'

 _'Indeed. It was a beautiful but empty world. Once again I spent my life wandering aimlessly, devouring others and took back my place on top of food chain. I didn't find humans or any sentient beings on second world but I found a Singularity.'_

'So the second Singularity you've met is not a sentient being.' I nodded. 'And that makes Shio the third Singularity.'

 _'Far from sentient and more like pet, following me like a faithful pup. It accompanied me in my journey until the second Nova arrived. I've grown stronger and could resist its influence but it got the second_ _Singularity. In the end, I failed to stop Nova from starting Devouring Apocalypse.'_

'And you returned again twenty years ago.'

 _'Ageless is a mixed blessing. True immortality is nothing but a curse.'_

'That some heavy stuff you spewed out.'

 _'You're Aragami, an ageless being. Unable to grow old but can die. One day, when you have enough of your eternal journey, you may have your end. The only downside of your gift is others going to leave you behind. That's far better than my immortality.'_

'I see.' That was the reason if his indifference towards almost everything. Unable to die and unable to sleep, forced to walk forever in neverending life.

"Uh..." Shio stirred up. She sat up and slowly opened her eyes.

"Shio! How do you feel?" I held and shook her shoulder.

"Uh, I feel... funny. I'm hungry, but it's not me." Shio tilted her head.

"This is bad... Maybe doc Sakaki can help. Come, let's get you to Forgotten Carrier." I helped her to stand up.

I led her to pile of rock on far end of Forgotten Carrier. Small Aragami fled from me and no medium or large Aragami around so our travel went unhindered. I sat with Shio on flat rock and waited for our transport.

Black helicopter arrived on other side of Forgotten Carrier. My sister and Soma landed on raised platform and began walking to us.

"Shio, they've come. Look!"

"Yeah!" Shio began to sing.

It was 'la la la' bunched together like yesterday but somehow it felt so... sad.

"There!" My sister exclaimed. She and Soma looked at us from below.

Shio stopped singing and wiped her teary eyes. "What... What is this song? I don't like it... I don't like it!"

"It's... a song of parting. That's the reason it makes you afraid." Soma explained.

"I don't want to go! I don't!"

"The words are sad. They're singing about loss, about never seeing the one you love again..."

"But... But we did see each other again. You're right there." Shio returned their gaze.

"Because we're different than the song. We came looking."

"I never thought you have philosophy side, Soma" I was mildly surprised at him.

"It's the truth. Let's go home, Shio."

"Okay!" Shio about to stood up when she suddenly curled and trembled. Strange blue pattern glowed on our body. "Aaaaaargh!"

"Damn it, not again..." I groaned.

"Sis, Shio!"

"What the hell is going on?!"

"Don't worry about me." I pinned Shio down.

She struggled and tried to stand. " I must go... I am called."

"Oy snap it out!"

Shio kept struggling until our glow died down. She passed out and we brought her back to transport helicopter.

Wastelands and ruins. I watched the desolate scenery beneath us from chopper window and my mind drifted to my conversation with Rei. Devouring Apocalypse, master reset for this world. Returning our world back to its original state. No more Aragami, no more destruction, back to peaceful green world we once had long ago. The only problem with that was it going to wipe us too.

Back in the Den Dr. Sakaki went to his lab with Shio, definitely for checking her symptom. Soft sofa greeted me and I took out Lindow's data disk from my drawer. He might looked like casual and easygoing person but he knew what he was doing. He already predicted his demise and prepared a backup plan by giving me and Sakuya his research.

"Is that... Lindow's data disk?" My sister asked. She left the bathroom and crawled between my bed and blanket, preparing to sleep.

"Yep, I'm going to infiltrate Aegis this midnight."

"What?!" She jerked up and threw the blanket away.

"I've told you did I?"

"Yes but I don't think it will be this soon."

"Shio's trance, Lindow's death, Ark Project, everything is connected to that place and I will find the truth." I spoke in determination. "Don't worry, I'll come back soon."

"If you say so... Please be careful."

"I will."

I left my room and headed to workshop, preparing my gears for Aegis infiltration. Explosive grenades, stun grenades, smoke grenades, breaching charges, and thermite charges stuffed in my knapsack. It should be illegal to make such dubious weapons but who cares. I returned to my room and changed my outfit. First I tied my hair in ponytail to prevented it from hindering my movement, then I put dark gray cap to cover my silvery hair. My outfit consisted of simple pocketless black suit and dark gray vest. I placed my grenades and other things in my vest. This way I could ditch my cumbersome tools if the situation calls for it.

Few hours passed and midnight arrived, time to set my plan. I asked Dr. Sakaki to print Aegis map and borrowed his chopper. He knew what I planned to do yet he didn't say anything. Aegis Island was restricted to virtually everyone in the Den except director and handful of workers and scientists, but clouded sky combined with pitch black paint and almost silent rotor allowed the pilot drop me on furthest end of Aegis Island quietly.

I snuck my way past bushes and grasses, avoiding spotlights around Anti-Aragami Wall that surrounded this place. It was a short wall, if I took a wild guess it shouldn't be more than twenty meters tall, but it built using higher quality materials. I kept circling Anti-Aragami Wall, trying to find a gap in their security. And I met two unexpected persons, Sakuya and Alisa.

They were whispering each other, discussing a way to bypass Anti-Aragami wall.

"I can blow a hole with my explosive bullet." Alisa said under her breath.

"And alerting entire base? No thanks."

"Oh my, fancy meeting you here." I whispered to their back.

They yelped and jumped back, aiming their God Arcs at me. I raised my hands and grinned. "You got me."

"Rena!" Sakuya gasped.

"Don't pop out of nowhere like that!" Alisa muffled her scream.

"Yep, what are you girls doing in here?"

"What are you doing?" Sakuya asked back.

"The same reason as you." I pulled Lindow's map. "Lindow gave me this."

"That's..." Their eyes widen at my map.

"Aegis map, complete with its underground facility. Need a hand with this?" I tapped Anti-Aragami wall beside me.

"You're an engineer, surely you know its weakness." Sakuya said.

"This wall is shorter but sturdier than the Den outer wall. No, there's no weakness in this wall."

"No, I refuse to give up, there must be a way to get in." Alisa firmly spoke.

"You're right..." I jabbed my hands and dug it layer by layer until sizable hole appeared. "I found a way."

"Well that's... convenient." Alisa blankly spoke.

"Before we get in I want you to have this." I gave them some of my supplies. "Stun grenades, smoke grenades, explosives, and whatsoever. Sorry I didn't bring any Restore Pills or O-Ampules with me."

"It's okay, thank you." They both thanked me.

This place was tightly guarded. Watchtower every few hundreds meter, fully armed Fenrir soldier patrolled regularly, and surveillance camera on nearly every corner. They would've caught us if not for my sharp senses and Lindow's map. Seriously, not even the Den had this level of security.

We crawled under camera, dodging patrolling soldier, and stealthily crept to our next destination, massive dome on the middle of Aegis Island. On our way to giant dome we found a secured place behind old storehouse and took a short break there.

Alisa and Sakuya was exhausted. They snacked on Fenrir field ration and rested to catch their breath.

"What's wrong with them..." Alisa muttered. "Placing so many guards to watch this place. It's not like they have any use against Aragami."

"No, they're here not for Aragami, it's for trespassers like us." I explained. "Look at them, armed with guns and bullets that can only kill other human or God Eater."

"Lindow is right, there's something suspicious about this facility." Sakuya nodded.

"Obviously. The real question is who run this place?"

"Director?" Alisa guessed.

"Maybe, it could be him or other Fenrir higher-ups. Okay, time's up, move it ladies." I nudged them.

We resumed our march under shadow's embrace. Ground beneath our feet changed, from soft dusty dirt to cold and hard concrete, we entered the main compound. Clank. Clank. Clank. Two pairs of boots crashed on concrete. I swore they stomped the ground on purpose, else they wouldn't make such loud noises.

Security in inner compound was less tight, some soldiers patrolled here and there but no watchtower nor surveillance camera. We slid between container and vehicles, tearing through chain-link fence, and stopped before massive sliding gate. Tall and thick metal gate, probably thicker than Anti-Aragami wall on this island, blocked our advance.

"No..." Alisa whispered. She looked at small lens like device embedded in nearby wall.

"Retinal scanner." Sakuya sighed.

"Retinal scanner? Let's see..." I tore its casing and examined its circuit. "This model... yep... good." I put my fingers in small gap in the middle of metal gate and pulled it. The gate groaned in protest and I kept raising my pressure. Then, I heard a loud snap from inside, its hydraulic piston failed. I pulled it apart and opened the gate. "Here you go. Don't worry, there's no alarm linked to this gate, I've checked its circuit."

"You and your brute strength." Alisa mumbled.

"Well, at least it works." Sakuya said.

"Okay, time to find the truth."

We walked together into Aegis facility, to the place that connects everything, searching for answers.


	18. Aragami and Ark Project

Halls, halls, and more halls. How large this damn underground complex actually?! We crawled our way through gray steel tunnels and mazes for nearly an hour yet we hadn't reached the center of this building. Sure, I could tell from Lindow's map this facility was big, but I didn't think it would be this huge. We crept from room to room, avoiding white coated scientists and armed guards.

"Move faster girls, it won't be long before they realize we're here." I urged them. "And please, keep your noise down."

"Easy for you to say, you don't carry unwieldy God Arc with you." Alisa replied.

"Guards ahead!" Sakuya warned us.

Three guards came out from intersection before us. They talked together and none of them noticed us, yet.

"This way." I led them to metal door beside us.

We entered chilly room full of computers and monitors. Various boxes stacked on one corner while guns and armors decorated other side.

"Bingo, this is their communication room. Oh, it comes with armory too." I took two bulletproof vests and toss it to them. "Put it on. It will help you survive a bullet or two."

"Bulletproof vest?" Sakuya asked.

"You complained about we being noisy, yet you're telling us to wear this?" Alisa lifted her vest.

"You're still noisy whether you wear it or not." I shrugged. "Come on, let's get going."

We left communication room after I marked it on my map. It wasn't easy to sneaked past guards and scientists in confined corridors, but we made our way to elevator without getting discovered. To our bad luck, it require card to operate.

"Perfect..." Alisa muttered.

"Can you do something about it? Sakuya asked me.

"I can try rewiring it and manually bypassing card reader but it will damage the cover. Which means whoever ride this elevator will notice our presence."

"It's not like we have any choice."

"So be it." I ran my fingers through its cover and pried it.

Wires, screws, and boards. After series of rewiring and reconnecting I managed to get it right. I tried to put back its cover but anyone with working brain could tell it was tampered. We pushed deeper into Aegis center. Security around us grew tighter, almost as tight as outer compound, to the point Sakuya was forced to knock some guards out. As medic she knew where to hit, unlike Alisa and I. Well, I could try to knock them but I doubt they would come back after that.

We arrived in large dark dome like structure at the center of Aegis. I was expecting something more glamorous, not a damp ditch like this. We moved closer, carefully examined our surrounding. My eyes widen at unexpected sight above us. It was a large core like... Aragami? hanged on ceiling. Pulsating, beating, and pretty much alive.

"Up above." I whispered.

 _'Nova's pupa... We're too late, it's already invincible at this stage.'_

'Damn it. Is there any way to stop this thing?'

 _'Hard to say. I can make a plan once I see its adult form.'_

"I can't see anything, it's too dark." Sakuya replied.

Right, they didn't have night vision. "Never mind. Be vigilant, we're close."

Loud alarm followed by red light blared throughout the dome. A turret rose from the ground and spitted ice type Oracle bullets at us.

"Hmph." I slapped incoming Oracle bullets aside.

Alisa deployed her shield while Sakuya sniped the turret.

"That was a little too close, I'd say."

"Thanks, I owe you one." Sakuya said.

"Welcome to the Aegis. I had a feeling it would be you two. Although, I don't think I will see you again, failure." Director Schicksal spoke to us from raised platform at the end of the dome.

"Failure?" Alisa and Sakuya asked.

"He means me. So my infection was planned. Why the hell you did that?!" I snapped.

 _'I've told you, didn't I? Humans stab you in the back.'_ Rei spoke with disgust.

"I have no obligation to answer your question. So tell me, what do you think? Are you crushed that it's nothing like paradise you were sold?"

"Director Schicksal... You lied. You deceived us for years... What is all this?" Sakuya yelled.

"Lindow must have found a way in, hm? I doubt you could have done it alone. It's such a shame. He had potential. His will be a lost that I will not forget. Truly, a terrible day." Director Schicksal mocked us.

"Don't you dare talk about him, you traitor! You're responsible for all of this!" Sakuya and Alisa approached him.

"No point in denying the truth." Director Schicksal blatantly admitted.

"Give me a reason why I shouldn't turn you into a kebab right now." I created a spike and let it hover, pointing at him.

"Don't do that. You will have entire Fenrir on you if you do that." Alisa warned me.

"Tch. Fine, have it your way." I launched my spike dangerously close to his head and stuck in wall behind him.

"Dear Lindow had another master, and I couldn't risk getting bitten. There was too much at stake here. Too much to let him ruin it. He acted rashly, and too soon. We couldn't allow word of the Ark Project to break these walls, not without the key well in hand. Without control over the Devouring Apocalypse, there's no point to any of this. Aragami will purge-"

"Zip it. You're planning to unleash Devouring Apocalypse?! It will kill us all you dumbass!" I interrupted him.

"Save those on this Ark. This vessel will carry our species' legacy into the new world. Unfortunately, this Ark can only carry so many. Space is precious and time is growing more so. There are only so many berths into mankind's next stage. Is it not just for the common to give their lives so the best may continue on?"

 _'He is worse than us. We devour each other but we never harm our kin. This man betrays his entire species... I'm at lost for words here.'_

"You want to repopulate the earth with your chosen people? You're more beast than Aragami!" Sakuya spat.

"Who better than us, miss Tachibana? It's a shame though. Such a damned shame. You both have gone and gotten yourselves crossed off that list, haven't you? I'm terribly sorry, but you cannot leave this place." Director Schicksal raised his hand.

"Oh, were... were you expecting someone? We went our way and put your guards to sleep." Alisa cheekily challenged him.

"Clever... and problematic. It seems I have no other option but to have you kill one another. I was hoping it would not come to this."

A scientist stepped forward. He wore usual Fenrir scientist white coat and yellow bandana. I narrowed my eyes at him. He was Alisa's caretaker and probably the one who put her under hypnosis.

"It's been a while, Alisa. This is your fault. Wouldn't it have been better to just slip into death? If that coma had lasted forever?" Dr. Oguruma walked closer to Alisa. "Clearly you still have some passion. Why deny it? If you're so eager to kill once more, I'll gladly lend a hand."

"What are you... Wait... No!" Alisa took a step back.

"Odin... Dva... Tri..."

Alisa gasped. Her eyes glazed and she mindlessly aimed her God Arc at the closest person, Sakuya.

"Damn it." I prepared to pounce at her when I noticed Sakuya darted to her.

"Don't give in, Alisa! Don't! You're stronger than this, stronger than him! You always have been! You didn't kill Lindow! You fought it then! This has never beaten you before. You have always been a fighter! Fight now! You have the power to protect those you love!" Sakuya leaped at her.

Alisa pulled the trigger. Her God Arc spitted green bullet instead normal bullet.

"Pretty words, Sakuya, but you must have lost your damned mind!" Dr. Oguruma laughed at her

"Are you blind? It's a green bullet. You hear me? It's a green bullet." I smirked.

That was when I caught a whiff of his cigarette. Undiluted rage born in my heart. So pure that it clouded my mind. There were only two things left in my head, cry for vengeance and call for hunt. "You! You're the one who set off that bait... And you'll pay for that!"

"Recover- Oh, hell..."

Dr. Oguruma ran when he saw me charging at him. He rode elevator up while I dug my way through elevator shaft.

"The hunt is on!" I laughed madly at him.

I heard his rapidly beating heart and it excited me. Armed guards tried to stop me. They threw everything they had from bullets to grenades but it barely fazed me. I grabbed the neck of a soldier who supposed to be their leader and lifted him. "I have no business with you and your peons."

He struggled and kicked my head, sending my glasses away. "You monster!" His defiant face changed into terror once he saw my eyes and he fought violently, yet nobody dared to interrupt me. A fine example of spineless soldiers.

"I am. Now, get lost!" I threw him to his subordinates. They fell in tangled mess, groaning and moaning. It seems I broke his rib, because I heard a pop from his chest. But still better than what I had in mind for Alisa's caretaker.

I followed his repulsive cigarette scent to storage room. Idiot, that room had only one door. End of the line for him. I created my spike and stabbed it from metal door to frame, effectively sealed it.

"There's no escape. Just give up, you've sealed your fate the moment you trapped Lindow." I walked towards the man who's responsible for all of this. He cornered, locked, and defenseless, like a trapped rat. Fitting end for lowly manipulator like him.

He sprinted past me and reached for exit door. Hope glittered in his face. How wonderful, nothing more satisfying than giving your opponent a hope only to crush it later.

It shattered. His hope shattered when he saw the spike in metal door. He pushed himself into a corner. Trembled. Panicked.

"How it feels like? To be the one who receive the end? Hm?" I stopped few steps away from him, enjoying his fear.

"No, please, I'm merely following his order!" Dr. Oguruma pressed his back to the wall.

"Oh, that snake? Don't worry, he'll get his share when the time comes. Now... what should I do to you?" I grabbed his neck and pinned him to the wall. "I can start with crushing your hands, or legs, or perhaps cut it off?"

"Aaaah! Please!" Thick sweat trailed down his temple. He began shaking in fear.

"You know what, Lindow is not dead, he's infected. That is the worst end for God Eaters. Why should I give you a mercy when you never give him one?" I created small blue dagger on my left hand. "Let's begin, shall we?"

"Noooo!" His face paled even more at the sight of my dagger.

 _'I won't allow you torturing him.'_

'What?! He's the one who's responsible for half of this mess and you're stopping me from having my vengeance?'

 _'He's a fellow sentient being. Kill him if you want, but make it quick. Even feral Aragami didn't torture their prey.'_

'But he made Lindow suffer through all of this. It's only fair for him to suffer the same!'

 _'No, two wrongs don't make a right. Don't lower yourself to inferior lifeform like him.'_

I wanted to deny it, screaming, yelling to Rei, telling him that he's an idiot, but he was right. No matter what I did to him it wouldn't bring Lindow back, and I didn't want to lower myself below common Aragami. I tightened my grip on his neck, slowly, until he began choking. In single fast movement I crushed his neck, bone, windpipe, and all, granting him a swift death. His body jerked once, then stopped.

'It is done.' A bit of burden lifted from my shoulder. One of two persons responsible for this now dead, only that snake left.

Another squad halted me right after I kicked the jammed door. They brought larger rounds and stronger grenades but it still useless, nothing short of Oracle weaponry could harm me. They blew storage room and everything in it to pieces. Well, everything except me. I strolled to them and got couple of rounds right on my forehead. I had to admit, they got skills for a bunch of spineless soldier.

One of them, a muscle-bound dark-skinned man wearing a beret, stepped forward. He raised his hand and issued an order. "Tactical retreat. I'll slow it down."

"With respect sir, I don't think-"

"That's an order!" He harshly yelled at man behind him.

"You heard him boys, get your ass moving!" The man, most likely his second-in-command, continuing his order.

He unsheathed his knife and bravely stopped my advance. "Not another step!"

"You got some guts, unlike them." I pointed at crumpled mess in hallway beside us.

He flashed a glance before locking his gaze on me. "We're professional, not fucking cherry."

Yes, he wasn't bluffing. His team had better toys and knew how to handle it, most of their bullets landed on my head or chest. His team movement organized and efficient. Not to mention he didn't let his guard down when I pointed at unconscious group in other hall.

"Are we goin' to start this shit or we gonna stay with fucking staring contest?" He moved into fighting stance.

A large dark blue blade formed in my grasp and I pointed it at him. "It's on!"

I didn't find any fear in his eyes, only wariness. He carefully examined me, looking for opening, then rushed. I swung my blade reflexively in horizontal arc. That wasn't my intention, I created my blade only for intimidating him.

He did something unexpected. To my surprise and relief, he twisted his body and ducked beneath my blade. In one fluid movement he kicked my leg, sending my back to the ground, and plunged his knife to my neck. I tried to catch him but he dashed the moment his knife broke.

"Okay, you didn't lie when you said you're professional." I stood up and dusted knife fragments off my head.

"And still no match for you, miss Aragami." He drew another knife from his belt and eyed me.

"So you knew what exactly am I. Why are you still challenging me?" I tossed my blade and cracked my fist. Anything other than bare hands would be fatal to humans.

"They paid us for this job."

That was when I realized he wears green uniform under his tactical vest, not blue Fenrir guard uniform. Now that explained everything. A battle hardened mercenary trained to kill humans and God Eaters alike. He proved himself to be a deadly opponent and would've killed me if not for my immunity against normal weapon.

"Mercenary. Now- huh?" Small black canister flew at my face. I saw a tiny piece of his cocky grin before stun grenade exploded on my face. "Gaaahh, stun grenade?!"

I rubbed my eyes vigorously, even though it wouldn't help, and waited for white that flooded my sight receded. The white faded after quite some time, leaving my sight blurry and distorted. My sight returned after another half-minute of rubbing. There was no sign of him nor his squad, only footprints and bullet casings. I reached for my headset, to call Alisa and Sakuya, and I touched my headset, or what was left of it...

"This getting better and better." I grumbled. My headset was destroyed, throughly, only its ear hook left hanging. Perhaps it was caught in grenade explosion.

Twisted hallway, hall, and elevator later I arrived at Aegis ground level, to the same level where I found their communication room.

"Found you!" I heard Sakuya's voice from my side.

Sakuya and Alisa came from corridor on my right. They hurriedly jogged to my direction. Exhausted face, damaged vest, and ragged breath, but uninjured.

"Why don't you answer our call? We were worried about you!" Alisa yelled.

I showed them piece of melted plastic and rubber that was my headset. "You see, I was planning to use this to report our findings to the rest of our team."

"What should we do? Our headset frequency was blocked. We couldn't call anyone in the Den." Sakuya explained.

"There's no other choice, let's go to communication room." I urged them to move.

"There they are, open fire!"

Hails of bullet whizzed near our head. Four Fenrir guard carried automatic rifle chased us from our left.

"Stun grenade out" Alisa threw her grenade, blinding them.

"Damn, they're persistent. Move while they're disabled!"

We ran in maze like tunnel, dropping smoke grenades on each intersection, throwing stun grenades at their feet, or even blowing walls with breaching charges, under constant barrage of flying leads.

I forced metal door behind me closed and stabbed it with spikes, jamming it. We entered communication room once again, with different purpose in mind. "Both of you, change your bulletproof vest and guard this door, I'll try to sort that junk."

For once, luck was on our side. One of the staffs forgot to log out, granting me full access to the computer. After wasted enough time with trial and error I established a line with random terminal at First Unit Veteran Quarter.

"Hello? Anybody there?" I spoke to microphone.

[What the?] Soma appeared from the left side of computer monitor. He wore his usual blue jacket without his hood. His lips twitched once and back into his daily frown.

"Grumpy! Could you please be so kind and call Rina and Kota?"

[Where are you?] Soma scanned scenery behind me.

"Somewhere pretty far from there. We running out of time, do it quick."

He disappeared from monitor and soon his footsteps vanished.

We warily waited for Soma and the rest. Our time stretched thin, and we were in constant danger of getting discovered, but we had no other choice. This was the only place with working terminal that still connected to Fenrir server.

Three persons entered Soma's room and one of them approached his terminal, it was Rina.

"Yo, how's you guys doing?"

[We're fine. What did you find?]

"We found the truth about Ark Project."

We took turn in explaining Director Schicksal hidden agendas, unleashing Devouring Apocalypse on entire world while his chosen people hid in outer space, within spacecraft protection. That why it called Ark Project. Her face became more grim with each truth we revealed.

"So that's the truth... The Aegis Project, the Ark... all of it. Data contained name you saw on Lindow's disk is the list of every eligible passenger approved to board the Ark. You will find each of your name there. Anyone related up to the second degree can board that monstrosity and sail into safety. Of course, Alisa and I were struck from their number. We knew what would happen if we tried to infiltrate Aegis." Sakuya explained.

"And I wasn't even in that list in the first place. That snake also confirmed he is responsible for Lindow's death and my infection."

Rina gasped and closed her mouth with both hands. She shook her head and calm herself down. [I understand. What now?]

"As far as Fenrir concerned, Sakuya and Alisa are wanted criminals, while I'm still not exist. I'll try to dig some info about Devouring Apocalypse, just be careful around that snake."

[A lie... It can't be a lie. We put so much... so much faith in this! Aegis was meant to protect us. It has to!] Kota's distressed voice came through computer speaker.

"Yes, Aegis was meant to protect you, at the expense of entire human population plus half of Far East Branch. Is it worth it? I don't think so." I frowned at the idea. Saving couple of human, perhaps hundreds, and let the rest of them met their end? That was the worst plan I ever know.

[I was never going to do what that tyrant commanded. Not like I'd be on the list. I'm half Aragami. They don't want me in their new world. There's no way they'd let me survive a day. I'm already impure.] Soma grunted.

"Your name is there, Soma. He's the Director, but he's still your father. I don't think he can stop loving you." Sakuya said.

[Damn him...]

"I just want to be clear. I refuse to let this Ark begin its voyage, I refuse."

"Me too! This isn't about lying or criminal charges or anything like that. This is just... wicked!" Alisa yelled.

"Meh, I don't care about the Ark. They can sail to space or wherever whey want, but I'll be damn if I let that Devouring Apocalypse happen." I shifted my gaze to Alisa and Sakuya. "Anyway, we'll retreat for now and keep our heads low. I'll contact you again after we form a plan to assault this place."

"One more thing..." Said Sakuya. "We... wanted you all to know. I won't force you into anything. I think you should make up your mind. And even if you choose to join with Schicksal, even if you fight against us, you are still our friend."

"But if you get in our way, we will tear you apart!" Alisa suddenly threatened them.

I smacked the back of her head.

"Ow! Joking. Joking... Mostly..."

I smacked her again.

"Ow! Cut it out! Still, I don't want to fight you, any of you. I hope you'll come to our side."

Footsteps, a lot of them, disturbing our communication. They pulled the jammed metal door and shouted. "They're here! Plant the charge!"

"Damn it! They found us. Sorry guys got to go now, see you later!" I closed the line. "That's it, we moving out now!"

All terminal in communication room burned in glorious searing molten thermite. This way they couldn't intercept our message. I pressed my boot on jammed door and looked at Alisa and Sakuya. "Ready?"

They both nodded. A metal door flew right off its frame, hitting two guards behind it, knocking them out. We fled using smoke grenades as cover but it seems they learned from mistake. Number of bullets flew in the air multiplied and that was bad. I peeked at soldier behind us, curious about the source of bullets.

"They carry frickin machine gun!" I shouted.

"Use your smoke!" Alisa yelled.

"It's useless against six guns with two hundred leads in its box! They'll just blindly spray it at us!"

Most of their bullets hit the rearmost person in our group, which was me, but some struck Alisa and Sakuya's back and shoulder. Fortunately, their body armor absorbed most of the damage.

We escaped Aegis facility and moved to outer compound, to the place where I met Sakuya and Alisa. All hell broke loose. They expected us and attacked us from all direction. I began chucking explosive grenades to keep them pinned while Alisa and Sakuya sprayed their Oracle bullet at random direction. We slid under a hole in Anti-Aragami wall and I primed my last thermite charges at the wall, blocking the hole with dripping molten thermite.

"We have entire base on our tail and I've spent my supplies, tell me you have escape plan." I shot a glance at Sakuya.

"We going to leave using the same way we coming." Sakuya answered.

"And?"

In response to my question, Sakuya pulled stack of bushes near the shore. A speedboat bearing Fenrir emblem hid beneath countless leaves and branches. It had white paints and two motors on its rear.

"You stole Fenrir boat? How? No, never mind, don't answer it." I kicked the boat back to the sea. "Let's go, it won't be long before my thermite burn out."

"Right."

We sailed just in time. My thermite extinguished and some guards chased us from that hole. They fired their guns but we already gone from the shore. I hit the speedboat pedal and let it darted under dawn's light toward nearby shore.

Forgotten Carrier, didn't think I would be happy arrived in this giant rusty shipwreck, yet I did. I stood at the very same spot where Shio leaped yesterday, watching the sky. It was brightened and almost morning, how many hours we spent in that giant dome of death? Four? Or maybe five?

We began checking our wound after we settled in shipwreck's control tower. I got none but my headset, vest, and some of my shirt holed and tattered. Sakuya took quite number of leads. Her armor -if anyone could call cracked ceramic plates and broken joint guards as armor- is in terrible condition but none of it struck her. Alisa, she wasn't so lucky. Her armor took less beating than Sakuya. Some chipped part and one destroyed plate, but a bullet hit a gap between ceramic plate and left shoulder guard, wounding her.

Sakuya discarded Alisa's armor and began mending her wound. A painful process, cleaning wound, taking out bullet, stitching it, with only basic painkillers. We couldn't expect for more, it already a good news Sakuya brought her medic kit. I left control tower after hearing Alisa's whimper. Too pitiful and my stomach couldn't take it.

That how I ended up alone on cliff, looking at Aegis across the sea. A footstep approached me from behind and I greeted her without turning my back. "Is it done? How's her condition?"

"She's exhausted and now sleeping soundly. If I knew the security will be this tight I would bring better medical kit with me." Sakuya sighed. She stood at my side, watching the sky.

"You don't know what future hold for us. The important thing is you've tried your best." I held her shoulder, comforting her. "Oh yeah, I need to hunt soon, I didn't bring any core with me. What about you? How many days worth of ration you brought?"

"One." Sakuya mumbled. She turned her head, away from my gaze.

"What? One? One week?"

"One day..."

"Another serious problem, just what I need."


	19. Aragami in the World's End

Grilled squirrel. Not the best food available, but it would do. We sat around campfire in snowy forest north of Temple Area, forming a circle and having our breakfast. I had a piece of Kongou tail while Sakuya and Alisa had grilled squirrel. They didn't like it, it obvious from their frown, their hesitation before they dug in. Sadly, there was no choice, forest in Temple Area was so cold that it drove away most common critter.

"I'm finished, thanks for the food." Alisa discarded the rest of her squirrel and took a metal case from her pocket. "Can you help me with this Sakuya?"

"Sure." Sakuya took a syringe from her metal case. "Give me your Armlet."

"Oh? It's a portable Bias Injection, isn't it?" I asked.

Sakuya pulled Alisa's hand and placed it on her lap. Carefully, she uncapped the syringe cover and inserted it to small gap in Alisa's Armlet. Clear liquid that filled the syringe drained, dripping into her Armlet.

"Huh? That's it?" That was... simple, to say the least. I'd read it somewhere, Portable Bias Injection used different kind of Bias Factor. Normally, when one had reached the time for injection, they went to infirmary and took a short test. A specific Bias Factor fabricated based on test result. That way the customized Bias Factor would last longer, up to a month if the said God Eater rarely deployed. In contrast with normal Bias Injection, Portable Bias like this created from generalized Bias Factor. Meaning that everyone could take it without test, but it less potent, up to few days at most.

"Hm... how many syringes you brought?" I asked at them.

"Two cases, five syringes each." Sakuya answered.

"Ten syringes for each of us, can last up to a month, I think." Alisa said.

"Wait... You brought whole month worth of Portable Bias yet you took only a day worth of food? Are you serious..." I stared incredulously at them.

"Field ration are heavy and big, even if we did try to take it we could only carry three days worth at most." Sakuya explained. "We was planning to forage our food in this forest."

"And it didn't turn out well." I sighed. Of course it didn't work, they were clumsy and loud, driving most animal away. Even if they got a clear shot they would obliterate the animal's body with their massive God Arc. "So, what's the plan? We can't return to Aegis island, not with that level of security, and I've broke our boat."

"You rammed that boat to a cliff!" Alisa exclaimed.

"That was my second time driving a boat, I didn't know a brake could be that loose." I slapped my forehead. Two days ago I crashed the boat to cliff below Forgotten Carrier after I returned from short recon. I pressed the brake when I reached Forgotten Carrier, but some physic called 'momentum' decided I hadn't done enough and introduce the boat to a rocky cliff. "Anyway, we must regroup with our team, let's return to the Den."

They gave me a strange expression that could roughly translated to 'Have you lost your mind?'

"What?"

"We are fugitives!" Alisa yelled. "They will capture and have us court-martialed!"

"Not if there's nobody around. We'll return on the day the Ark Project launched. I know it doesn't sound appealing, but what other choice we have? Make sure you got everything you need, we'll move out tomorrow. And remember, we only have one shot at this." I warned them.

"I got it."

Sun suspended above our heads, it went along with us in our march to Far East Branch. Based on map I usually read, there was fifteen kilometers from the Den to this place so we began our march at noon and hopefully we would arrive in the dusk.

For once our journey went unhindered. Dusk was breaking on our head just as we arrived at Far East Branch Anti-Aragami wall.

"Odd, I didn't see any guards or gatekeepers." I spoke to Alisa and Sakuya. We approached empty post outside of southern gate.

"Isn't that a good news? We can enter undetected now." Alisa said.

"Perhaps." I began tinkering with its cable, skipping card scanner and rewiring it directly to console. "But something is nagging at me. Feels like I missed a thing or two." I pressed a button on console. Part of the wall beside post folded, forming an opening large enough for us.

It was empty. The normally bursting with activity streets now deserted like abandoned village. We strolled past empty houses and market stalls. My eyes glanced at goods scattered on market stalls. They left in hurry, didn't even have time to close their stalls.

"The Ark Project has begun." Sakuya whispered.

"No... They got Shio." That damn Director... This is what he meant with 'the key well in hand'.

"Let's hurry, we might still have a chance." Said Alisa.

The Den was empty, too. Only Licca and Hibari left on Den lobby. We greeted them and took an elevator below, to Laboratory section.

"What should we do? Most of the Den staff had already left." Alisa asked.

"We do what we planned to do, regrouping with the rest of our team."

"Damn! The old man's not here either. Where the hell did he go?!" Soma's voice pierced through metal door.

The elevator door opened, revealing Rina and Soma on laboratory section hall.

"They took Shio, didn't they?" I spoke to them.

"I thought you guys were on the run. Looks like you ran back into the lion's den." Soma replied.

"Everyone!" Rina shouted.

"We figured you'd be lonely, so we thought, hey, might as well come and lend a hand." Alisa replied.

"We've been hunting for another path into Aegis, but no luck there." Sakuya said.

"Entire perimeters have been locked tight, tighter than a vault. Perhaps because the Ark Project have reached the final stage, or perhaps because they got Shio, either way, we couldn't find a way in." I explained.

Elevator rung behind us. Certain yellow capped boy came out and greeted us. "I think there might be. I'm not so sure, I think there's a tunnel leading there underneath the Den."

"So you didn't side with that sorry excuse for a director." My lips tugged up, forming a tiny smile.

"Kota! I thought you'd turn on us. You and your family were gonna join the Ark. I... Sorry, I should have known better. Thank you." Alisa said.

"Come on, I think it's down here."

Kota led us through series of hall and elevator, passing half built Den section, another elevator again, and again, until we arrived at unknown section deep beneath the Den. This section was empty and dusty. Cobweb hanged on each corner, vending machine filled with outdated drinks, even stale air that permeate air around us. We stopped at a large green elevator leading to nowhere.

"Grrrrgh! Damn! It won't bulge without the key." Kota futilely tried to force his way.

"Move aside, I bet I can make a hole on this door." I cracked my hands and raised my fist.

"You and your brute strength..." Alisa pressed her temple.

"I guess it doesn't surprise me to find you all here." Unknown woman wearing white Fenrir sniper uniform came out from elevator behind us. She had long black hair and pair of green eyes. Full of confidence and brimmed with authority, she strode to us, stopping mere few meters away.

"Tsubaki! We have to find a way-" Sakuya gasped.

Tsubaki? The very same person who made my sister flinched just by hearing her name? I scrutinized her entire body. The way she spoke, her tone, her stride, it screaming authority, as if she was the leader. No wonder Rina flinched hearing her name, even I would be intimidated if I was a God Eater.

"Just, don't. I'm here not to arrest you. Who do you think I am?" Tsubaki scanned each one of us.

Who? An ice queen perhaps? A fitting term considering her cold personality and hardness. She was tough enough to resist my Oracle field without so much as tensed muscles.

"You're that survivor Sakaki was talking about." Tsubaki looked at me with her stern gaze. "I'm afraid my introduction will have to wait. The whole region is in chaos now that the Ark is so close to completion. All those who had a seat... already left."

"Well... What will you do then?" Sakuya asked.

"What I always do, I suppose. I will fix my little brother's crazy messes. And speaking of crazy..." Tsubaki turned her gaze on Kota. "How did you know there was a path down here, Kota?"

"Well... heh. Back when I thought they were building an underground residental section, I tried to sneak a peak. I didn't know it was worth anything until now." Kota explained. "Besides, the doc told us in class that they were using this big ol' factory as staging area for the Aegis. So I figured, Hey, how else are they gonna get it there?"

"Hah! And to think Sakaki was always fuming about you falling asleep in class. I don't know who to believe. I have the release key here." Tsubaki lifted her hand. A key and a card dangled on her fingers. "But be warned, if you're going over to Aegis, you'd better be ready. I only have one more thing to say, I'm proud of each and every one of you... Fight well."

We rode elevator to the depth of earth. Metal gate opened, we were greeted with large dimly lit white tunnels. We must be pretty deep, because I felt heat radiated from concrete walls. Either that or were close to heat source like lava. The tunnel twisted and turned, and by the end of the tunnel we were taking another lift down.

"We are close. Prepare yourself, there's no telling what nasty surprise that director has prepared for us." I warned them.

The tunnel changed, becoming wider and colder. Flat ground to slope, then to staircases, and lastly to elevator. I dragged my fingers on glossy metal walls. Cold. It was cold like other section in Aegis island. We were here.

Elevator door opened. We stood in a dome, the same dome that held Nova's pupa. This time, there was no pupa in our sight, only a massive statue like Aragami stuck upside-down on dome's frame.

"Holy crap! It's huge!" Kota exclaimed. He aimed his God Arc at statue like Aragami. His finger rested on God Arc trigger, ready to unleash bullets at any moment.

No, I didn't care about Director, Nova, or large strange egg like object beside him. My sight fixed on small figure beside director. "Shio!"

A rough hand yanked my left arm just as I about to jumped. I faced with two blue marbles bore into my eyes. "Don't get reckless!"

Was Soma worried about me? Funny, because I worried about Shio more than myself. We ran to the middle of the dome, facing that insane director.

"Shio!" Soma shouted.

"I only crave what is inside of you. Give in, little thing, and surrender those precious tears... Time for fighting is long past..." Director Schicksal whispered.

Oh no, you wouldn't have it. I leaped at Shio with blade in my hand. Glassy surface that held her body cracked when I jammed my blade. I took her body and landed gently beside Soma.

"Shio! Shio!" I shook her shoulder to no avail. Her body was cold and lifeless. Back in my head my mind told me something I fervently denied, she lost her core.

"Shio! Open your eyes!" Soma kneeled beside me.

"You were so fond of this little monster, weren't you, Soma? Perhaps you saw something of yourself there. Foolish choice, my son. Very foolish indeed."

Soma left Shio's side. I heard his teeth grinding against teeth. His strained muscles... His fury. "Enough! You're no father to me. You can think yourself a saviour, but you're a traitor!"

Nova's body turned to life. Its head and whole body bathed in yellow light. Yellow spot appeared around us, pulsating and coming to life.

 _'No... That Nova got her core!'_

'It's obvious! Can we take it back? Do something!'

 _'I have a plan that might save us or end us. Let me think.'_

I held my blade tighter. The odds were stacked against us. He got Nova and Shio's Core while we had nothing. His only disadvantage was his vulnerability. Neither God Eater nor Aragami, only a mere human. Should I take this chance and eliminate him? No, the Devouring Apocalypse would start even without him.

"For years I have nurtured the Nova. Devouring only the trait it needed. For years I scoured the earth, seeking burned out husk of ship that could survive space. For years I built and waited and prepared this journey. Now at long last... Now it all ends!"

Various spacecraft launched behind him, carrying half of the Den to void above. I hated it. I hated their cowardice, yet I also felt relieved knowing that others would live on if we failed to stop Nova.

The strange egg beside director glowed and unfolded, exposing two massive Aragami beneath. A pair of Aragami, one bulky and tough, the other thin and nimble, almost... frail. In one glance I already knew it was a man made Aragami, just like God Arc.

"Impressive, is it not? Arda Nova, fruit of my project." Director Schicksal's platform moved, heading closer to unknown Aragami's back. "Time for talk has passed, now it's time to prove your worth!"

"I tried so hard to keep my human heart, and you discarded it, heart and body. Who is the Aragami among us, Schicksal?" I spoke in disgust.

Arda Nova rose to its feet and splitted up.

"Careful, it's two separate Aragami!" I warned my team.

The woman like Aragami was nimble, the larger male one was tough. I learned it from the hard way. My damaged left arm finished regenerating for I didn't know how many times, leaving patches of gray skin on my arm. That pair of Aragami was vicious, it attack in perfect sync, and relentless in the fight.

"Damn it!" Soma flew after block a jab from larger Aragami.

"Soma!" I called him.

"I'm fine!" He got back on his feet. A trail of blood dripped from his forehead.

"Here! Take this!" Rina Shouted from behind me.

Three green bullet hit Soma's chest. In that moment his bleeding stopped and he resumed his charge.

I followed Soma into the fray, dodging its blast and Oracle bullet around us. I slashed at the smaller Aragami's legs, shattering its armor. It replied my attack with its own version of energy blast from its halo, spraying it to all directions. Alisa and Rina formed a wall with their shield, protecting others, while I created my gauntlets and took the blast head on.

My fist slammed on smaller Aragami's head, destroying it along with my gauntlets. I drove my other fist to its chest. Its broken body fell, twitching once, than stopped.

"One down! Keep your pressure everyone!" I commanded them.

The second Aragami was tougher. We chipped its armor bit by bit and wore it down with our combined efforts. Its chest cracked under our assault and after prolonged attack, it shattered.

I drove my fingers deep into its chest and torn its source of life, the Core.

"It's done." I huffed. In my right hand laid a purple crystal ball, flickering under moonlight. I raised my hand, showing it to my team.

"We've won." Alisa and Sakuya slumped on the ground.

"We won the fight, but we lost the battle." I shook my head.

"What're you-" Alisa question cut off by massive earthquake struck this place.

"It's too late, the Nova has awoken. Look!" I pointed at Nova's head.

"There's got to be a way. I'm sure of it. We can't just surrender here." Sakuya said.

"Hehe... There is none. Nova will purge... it will consume... it will begin again..." Schicksal said. "You must hurry, Soma. You must go... Take your comrades to the Ark... There's one waiting for you behind this dome. Please... my child."

"You planned to die on this place, aren't you?" That idiot, he threw his everything away, including this life, thinking that his life would redeem his choice. Fool.

"There was never a place for me in that ship... There was never a new world waiting for me... I tore the sky and rent the seas. I have no right to another. I can merely see it and weep."

"You brought this upon yourself, fool. Who give you the right to judge mankind?"

The tremor grew more violent. Then it stopped. The yellow glow in its head flickered and changed to light blue.

"Thank you... All of you." Shio's voice emerged from Nova.

 _'She survived! Shio survived Nova! There's a way after all.'_

'What? So this is not the end?'

 _'Far from it. Let's see how this will turn out.'_

Nova floated, it slowly rose to the sky.

"Shio... What're you doing? Answer me!" Soma asked.

"Look beyond the sky, everyone! The moon... It's so big, so round. It's look like a giant rice cake! Look way tastier than this world, don't you think? Much, much tastier."

 _'What a naive newborn. She wants to take Nova to the moon. Commendable but reckless. She will not survive the stress living alone in exile.'_

'Than do something!'

 _'I will. Just stay and watch, I'll do my part.'_

"For the first time, I understand everything. All of what you taught me makes so much sense... it makes a person... To eat together with someone... To live for someone... To die for someone... and to forgive someone..."

 _'This has gone long enough.'_ Paralysis swept through me, Rei took control over my body.

'Finally decided to interfere?'

 _'If I do this right we might spare Shio from that horrible fate.'_ Rei used my body and began to run. In one massive leap he sent my body to Nova's forehead, near the glowing gem, and hanging using my left hand.

 _'Brace! This will hurt a lot!'_ Rei raised my right hand.

'Huh? Wha- AAAAAARGH'

Rei plunged my hand to my chest. Black spot began to invade my sight. My grip on Nova's head tightened as Rei dug deeper. He pulled a black marble from my chest and stabbed it to Nova's forehead. His control over me weakened after he pulled my core. Did he betray me too? It shouldn't be, Aragami didn't betray their kin, or did they? Why he plucked my Core knowing full well it would kill me?

My body crashed to metal floor, surrounded by my teammates. They flipped my body and gasped at large gap on my chest.

"Rena!" They shouted in unison.

"I'm okay..." I coughed and swallowed back my bloody spit.

"You're not!" Rina aimed her God Arc and fired. Green bullets struck my chest and staunched my wound.

 _'Sorry, there's no ...her way.'_ Rei's voice started to blur. _'It won't be long ...fore you stopped hear... my voice. Look... above.'_

Crystal in Nova's forehead changed again. White color formed and pushed the blue light in the gem. It leaked and flowed into strand that connect Nova to Shio's body.

 _'I've placed my ...re into No... and restored Shio's Core. All that left... to take ...va to ... moon.'_

The Core he plucked from my chest wasn't my Core, it was his! Rei was planned to take Shio's place and drove Nova with him to the moon.

'You said it was reckless, and yet you do it yourself? The hell?!'

 _'I walked alo... for countless years. Few hund... more is not a ... deal to me. Although, I ...ve favor to ...'_

'Say it.' I held Shio's body to my chest. Life returned to her body. She became warmer and more human like, her skin was no longer white and her hair softened.

 _'Can y... take me ba... one day? I don't mi... waitin... Just don't forg... about me.'_

That was the first time he asked something from me. The first and probably the last. 'Of course Rei, I'll bring entire moon down if I have to, just you wait!'

 _'Thank ... That's all ... ask. I'll leave Shio ... your care. Cut the cord ...ween us, it's ti... for me ... go.'_

I severed the last strand that anchored Nova to Shio, with that, he took off. The nova became smaller and smaller, bringing Devouring Apocalypse with it to the moon.

"Rei..." Shio mumbled.

"Shio!" Everyone gathered around her. They hugged her, praised her, crying for her, but her eyes locked on Nova that steadily shrunk.

It exploded on moon's surface, sending waves and waves that moved almost imperceptibly, greenifying the moon.


End file.
